Adrian Cleary qualified as a General Registered Nurse in 1991 at Waltham Forest School of Nursing. He then went on to work at Whipps Cross University Hospital in  London from 2001 to 2004, where he served as Head of Surgery, Orthopaedics, and Urology.

In 2004, he returned to Ireland and became the Senior Nurse Manager in the newly established Regional Orthopaedic Directorate in the OLHN. In 2009, he moved to OLOL as the Assistant Director of Nursing with responsibility for Emergency Care, Critical Care, Outpatients, and all adult inpatient and day case services.

In 2010, he became the Assistant Director of Nursing responsible for Trauma & Orthopaedics, Critical Care, General and Urology Surgery, Outpatient Services, and Infection Prevention and Control.

In October 2016, he was appointed Director of Nursing, a role in which he has transformed our nursing team into what he proudly describes as a family, an environment where nurses are encouraged to thrive, grow, and be the very best they can be. Through his leadership, we have achieved remarkable progress, including:

• Successful implementation of the Safe Staffing Framework, in which he remains an active member of the national working group, continuing to advocate for and advance the national agenda for safe staffing.
• Significant development of advanced practice nursing roles across several specialities, now representing 3.7% of our nursing workforce. Our specialist nurse services have also grown substantially, now comprising 4.8% of the workforce.
• A sustained focus on recruitment and retention, with our vacancy and turnover rates consistently well below the national average. His dedication to “growing our own” is evident throughout the organisation, demonstrated in strong leadership development, succession planning, and active engagement with professional development plans. Today, 20% of our nurses are enrolled in Higher Education programmes—an achievement driven by his support, encouragement, and commitment to investing in staff education.
• Leadership of the hospital’s healthcare staff vaccination programmes, including flu campaigns—placing first in Ireland three times—and the staff and community COVID-19 vaccination programme.
• Proactive leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, where he guided the nursing team through the emerging and ever-changing demands with resilience, compassion, and unwavering focus.

His continued emphasis on the development of services, vulnerable groups, integrated care, chronic disease management, patient safety, and assurance programmes is always matched by strong governance structures and a deep commitment to using audit and data to guide strategic and operational decisions.

He is immensely proud of our relationship with the Regional Executive Team, particularly with Petrina and Judy, whose partnership and support he values greatly. He also takes great pride in our close relationship with the RCSI Faculty of Nursing, with whom we have built a strong, collaborative connection that has supported our ongoing growth and development.

His own professional development portfolio includes a BA, MSc, MA, Postgraduate Diploma, multiple leadership programmes, and more. However, the achievement he holds closest to his heart is his Fellowship by Election with the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, awarded in 2020.

While I know there are many more milestones he will undoubtedly remind me of later, today I want to express our gratitude and acknowledge that his leadership has been fundamental to the success of our world-class nursing team.

Last month, this was further recognised when we received confirmation of our Pathway to Excellence designation. This achievement began as participation in a European research project for M4E, something he supported wholeheartedly from the start. His belief in Magnet principles inspired us to continue the journey, ultimately determining that Pathway to Excellence was the right fit for us. Once again, that pivot was made with our staff and patients at the centre, strengthening shared governance, enhancing staff well-being, and elevating patient safety, leadership, quality, and professional development.