A Stourbridge pharmacist - and Parkinson's Disease specialist - is celebrating after being named in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

 

Dr Janine Barnes - a neurology specialist at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was awarded an MBE for services to pharmacy.

Dr Barnes has worked in the innovative role of neurology specialist pharmacist with the Trust since 2009. This was the first role in the UK to combine prescribing and managing Parkinson’s disease (her specialist area) with educating primary and secondary care staff on neurology.

She was also recognised for her work with NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – in drawing up the updated Parkinson’s disease guidelines. She has been chosen to sit on the NICE guideline committee which will review the use of cannabis products in neurological conditions.

Janine, from Oldswinford, works for the Trust four days a week and in her own time works tirelessly to support Parkinson’s patients both locally and nationally.

She founded, and is now the chair of, the Parkinson’s Disease Specialist Pharmacy Network, a national network aimed at up-skilling pharmacists in the management of Parkinson’s disease. She is also a regular adviser to Parkinson’s UK.

She said: “I am delighted to be awarded the MBE in recognition of all the additional work that I do over and above my employed job.

“I am very passionate about my innovative neurology specialist pharmacist role and I also pride myself in good patient care and safe prescribing for the people I manage with Parkinson’s disease.

“Dudley showed great innovation in the formation of my role in 2009, and we have continued to develop it since.

“It has enabled us to significantly improve the patient experience of people with Parkinson’s disease by reducing waiting times and allowing treatment closer to home.

“As the benefit of the role has become apparent, I have been involved in replicating it in a number of other health authorities. I feel very privileged to be able to help people with Parkinson’s disease and their relatives and I am very fortunate to meet many lovely people on a daily basis.”

Parkinson’s is thought to affect around one in 500 people in the UK. It causes tremors, stiffness in the muscles and slow movement. It can also lead to depression, memory problems and insomnia.

Dr Barnes was previously awarded the status of a ‘Fellow’ of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of pharmaceutical knowledge.

 

Deputy Chief Constable of West Midlands Police Louisa Rolfe was also honoured in the list.

DCC Rolfe received an OBE for services to policing.

Having started her career in Avon and Somerset Police, she rose from being a neighbourhood PC to becoming one of the country’s most senior female officers.

DCC Rolfe, who lives in Droitwich, joined West Midlands Police as Deputy Chief Constable in February 2016.

Her role with the force is to oversee the force’s WMP2020 change programme that features 33 individual projects designed to make the force more agile when fighting crime and more accessible to the public.

She led the UK police response to HMIC’s report Everyone’s Business – which focused on improving the response to domestic abuse survivors – urging forces to prioritise domestic abuse and securing substantial improvements across the service. She is also the National Police Chiefs Council lead for domestic abuse.

The 49-year-old said: "It has come as a huge shock but I am extremely honoured and proud at the same time.

"I started my policing journey with the aim of helping others and that has remained the same whatever the role. I have worked with and learnt from some fantastic people over the years and I would like to thank them for their support.

"This is a special moment for me but I hope to enjoy many more years in policing and helping others… particularly when they're at their most vulnerable."

DCC Rolfe is married with two children.

There was also an MBE for Sandwell's Mohammed Rafique - Diversity and Inclusion Manager with Immigration Enforcement at the Home Office.

Mr Rafique received his honour for services to the promotion of inclusion in the Home Office and the community in Sandwell.

And Dr Malcolm Dick from Rowley Regis - director of the Centre for West Midlands History at University of Birmingham received an OBE for services to history in the West Midlands.