Martina Cummins

Martina Cummins MBE
Retired Clinical Director of Infection Prevention & Control, Barts Health NHS Trust

Martina Cummins is a distinguished nursing leader who has been a driving force in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) for over 25 years. Following a clinical background in critical care, Martina transitioned to IPC in 1999 and served as the Clinical Director of IPC at Barts Health NHS Trust from 2014 until her recent retirement in 2025. During her tenure at one of the UK’s largest healthcare trusts, she was instrumental in standardizing clinical practice and elevating IPC visibility from the ward to the Board.

Throughout her career, Martina has been a vital leadership voice, translating frontline insights into national policy. In 2015, she was appointed as a Consultant Nurse with Public Health England (now UKHSA) and has contributed to high-level incident responses for Ebola, Zika Virus, and Candida auris. Her expertise has informed government policy through her work with national Incident Management Teams and clinical peer reviews.

Martina’s career is defined by a series of prestigious honours. In 2022, she received the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Gold Award for lifetime achievement. More recently, she was presented with a Silver Award at the 2025 British Journal of Nursing (BJN) Awards and was awarded an honorary MBE for her services to infection prevention and patient safety.