Dr Crystal Oldman CBE joined the QNI in November 2012 as Chief Executive. Crystal worked in the NHS for 18 years, the majority of which was in the field of community nursing, working with some of the most deprived communities in west London.

She has a passion for learning, teaching and research to support best practice and in 1994 joined Buckinghamshire New University as a senior lecturer, to develop a variety of community nursing programmes.

Crystal enjoyed an academic career for a further 18 years, completing her Higher Education career as Dean of Enterprise and Business Management in the Faculty of Society & Health, where her role included the development of partnerships with external agencies to promote research and assist in workforce development.

Crystal’s interest in leadership and management inspired her doctoral studies into the knowledge, skills and attributes of middle managers and this research was completed in 2014.

She was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2017 for services to community nursing and her leadership of the QNI.