More than half a century in healthcare was acknowledged by the University of Chester when Manxman John Caley was awarded an Honorary Degree for his ‘outstanding contribution to the furtherance of education and training in Nursing and Allied Health Professions.’
John was one of the prime movers behind the transition to training nurses and midwives through higher education.
The University, which has just announced its partnership with the Isle of Man College as an Associate College, conferred the Master of Science honoris causa on Mr Caley during its degree ceremony in Chester Cathedral.
Douglas-born John Caley’s long career in nursing began in 1955 when he entered Nobles Hospital in the Isle of Man as an assistant nurse.
He moved to Walton Hospital, Liverpool, in 1962 and entered Queen Elizabeth College, University of London in 1964 to study for a diploma in Theory and Practice of Nurse Education and Training.
Having returned to Walton to teach, he was appointed Principal Tutor in 1969, managing the General Nursing School in Chester, and in 1973 he became Director of Nurse Education in Warrington.
Mr Caley has worked for the Joint Board of Clinical Nursing Studies, the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and Mersey Regional Health Authority and regularly contributed to the Department of Health’s regional reviews.
Having devoted much time to help move nursing and midwifery training from the NHS into higher education, he has been a Visiting Fellow at the University of Chester for the past seven years.
Now retired, Mr Caley works closely with adults with learning disabilities, and has been Director, Trustee and, most recently, Chairman of the charity Chester Link.
As Foundation Chancellor of the University, His Grace the Duke of Westminster KG CB OBE TD CD DL congratulated the graduates during the ceremony.
Mr Caley was joined by three other eminent individuals, each of whom were also awarded Honorary Degrees for achievements in their chosen fields.
They were: the Rt Reverend Brian Noble, Bishop of Shrewsbury, who received a Doctor of Theology; Shane Flynn, former CEO of the Bank of America, who was presented with a Doctor of Business Administration; and Tim Firth, the Cheshire-based writer who was awarded a Doctor of Letters for his outstanding collection of works for the stage and screen. which include the box office smash Calendar Girls and most recently Confessions of a Shopaholic.
Professor Tim Wheeler, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, said, "Here at Chester we are fortunate to be able to tap into a rich vein of success, achievement, creative talent and benevolence and we are delighted by our honorary graduates’ association with us, as role models for the next generations of students."
Pictured: John Caley (centre) with Professor Mike Thomas, Dean of Health and Social Care, and Dr Dorothy Marriss, Deputy Vice Chancellor, both at the University of Chester.
