By 
A SENIOR nurse originally from Tattyreagh has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for her outstanding service to safeguarding vulnerable people.
Deirdre McCormick (née Gallagher) is a qualified nurse, midwife and health visitor who has devoted 44 years to the NHS.
Now living in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, she serves as Chief Nurse and leads NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s (NHSGGC) Public Protection Service, where she is responsible for protecting vulnerable unborn babies, children, young people and adults at risk of harm.
Deirdre was educated at Tattyreagh Primary School and Loreto Grammar in Omagh, and trained as a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital before moving to Scotland, where she has spent the majority of her career. She also worked for a short period as a health visitor in Omagh.
The mother-of-three said, “This honour came as a complete and unexpected surprise, and I am humbled to receive this award. This recognition is testimony to the incredible work undertaken by the Public Protection Service team within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the wider NHS and our multi-agency partners in keeping unborn babies, children, young people and adults safe from harm.
“I have been privileged to enjoy an extremely rewarding career spanning over 40 years within the NHS, and I have been fortunate to work with a wide range of colleagues in both local and national roles. This honour would not be possible without their support, and the unwavering support of my family and friends.”
Deirdre said her decision to pursue a career in healthcare was strongly influenced by her mother, Johanna Gallagher, who worked as a midwife and nurse in the Omagh area. Her mother passed away three years ago, and both Deirdre and her sister, Dr Paula Gallagher, followed in her footsteps.
She added, “My mother was a tremendous inspiration to me to enter the profession. I worked alongside her in Omagh in the late 1980s, along with my sister Paula, and those are memories I truly treasure. She loved her work deeply, and that passion has been the same for me throughout my career.”
Reflecting on receiving news of her MBE, Deirdre said she views the honour as recognition not only of her own contribution but of the vital work carried out by the service she leads.
She added, “This award highlights the essential and impactful safeguarding duties we all share, particularly in protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
