Inga Kennedy

Commodore Inga Jane Kennedy, CBE, VR, QHNS (born 7 September 1962) is a Scottish nurse and retired senior Royal Navy officer. From 2017 to 2021, she served as Head of the Royal Navy Medical Service and Medical Director General (Naval). She was the most senior female officer in the Royal Navy by year of promotion. She previously served as Matron-in-Chief of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (2011–2015) and Inspector General of the Defence Medical Services (2015–2017).

Inga Kennedy
Commodore Kennedy in 2015
Birth nameInga Jane Kennedy
Born (1962-09-07) 7 September 1962
Aberdeen, Scotland
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1987–2021
RankCommodore
Commands heldRoyal Navy Medical Service
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
Relations
Mark Durkan
​
(m. 2014)​

Early life and education

Kennedy was born on 7 September 1962 in Aberdeen, Scotland to Rhoda and Richard Kennedy. She studied nursing at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. She also studied for a postgraduate diploma at the University of Greenwich.[1]

Nursing career

Kennedy is a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Registered Midwife (RM).[1] She worked as a nurse in the National Health Service (NHS) from 1980 to 2000.[2]

Military service
Kennedy in 2018

Kennedy's military service began as a reservist: she joined the Royal Naval Reserve in 1987.[2][3] From 1998 to 2000, she undertook full-time reserve service and was a Senior Midwife in the Royal Naval Hospital Gibraltar.[2][3]

In 2000, Kennedy moved from the reserves to join the regular Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS).[2] She was promoted to commander on 30 June 2005.[4] She served in Afghanistan at the Joint Forces Command in 2011.[1] She was promoted to captain on 21 November 2011.[5]

From 2011 to 2015, she served as Matron-in-Chief (i.e. head) of the QARNNS.[6] She was also Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Healthcare) at Navy Command Headquarters from 2012 to 2015.[1] She was promoted to commodore on 9 February 2015.[7] From 2015 to 2017, she served as Inspector General of the Defence Medical Services and was based at the Headquarters of the Surgeon General.[1] In this role, she was responsible for inspecting medical departments across the armed forces, be it a sick bay on a ship or a hospital in a foreign posting.[3] In 2017, she was appointed Head of the Royal Naval Medical Service and Medical Director General (Naval).[1] As such, she was also a member of the Second Sea Lord's Board of Management and serves as the medical adviser to the Admiralty Board.[8]

Kennedy retired from the Royal Navy on 1 September 2021.[9]

Personal life

In 2014, Kennedy married Mark Durkan.[1]

Honours


In 2012, Kennedy was appointed an Honorary Nursing Sister to The Queen (QHNS).[1] In the 2017 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of her service with the Defence Medical Services.[3][10] She is also a recipient of the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (for 10 years service in the reserve), and the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for 15 years service in the regulars).[11]

In June 2021, Saga Cruises announced in a press release that Commodore Inga J. Kennedy CBE QHNS QARNNS, has been named godmother of Saga Cruises’ newest ship, the spirit of adventure. Kennedy has followed the footsteps of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, who was Godmother to sister ship Spirit of Discovery.[12]

References
  1. "Kennedy, Cdre Inga Jane". Who's Who 2018. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2017. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.288561.
  2. "Captain Inga Kennedy Re-opens Anson as a Girls Boarding House". The Royal Hospital School. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  3. "Royal Navy recipients revealed in New Year Honours List 2017". Royal Navy. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  4. "No. 57693". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 July 2005. pp. 8688–8688.
  5. "No. 59994". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 2011. p. 23791.
  6. "The QARNNS former Matrons in Chief". QARNNS. Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  7. "No. 61144". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 February 2015. p. 2726.
  8. "Defence Medical Services". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  9. "No. 63490". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 October 2021. p. 17494.
  10. "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N5.
  11. Stephen Morgan [@StephenMorganMP] (13 December 2017). "Privilege to be at the centenary of the Women's Royal Naval Service in Speaker's House, to meet @ingajkennedy the highest serving woman in @RoyalNavy, and discuss encouraging more women into the forces with @NiaGriffithMP @navy_women" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. "Saga Names Ex-Royal Navy Medical Service Head Godmother of Spirit of Adventure". Cruise Industry News. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
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