Trust Chief Executive Julie Moore has been made a Dame in the New Year Honours list, announced today (Saturday 31 December 2011).

Dame Julie, who took the helm of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in 2006, received the title for her services to healthcare.

She said: “I am honoured, of course, to receive the award. However, I am not some renowned author who has written a book as an individual. I am part of a team and this award reflects the work of that team. It is great too for the hospital Trust and I am very proud of the care we provide for our patients here at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.”

Born in Liverpool, Dame Julie had originally planned to study astro-physics at university but switched to a nursing degree following a six-week stay in hospital in her teens.

Her first job was as a nurse at a hospital in Leeds in the early 80s where she spent 10 years in clinical practice before entering nurse management.

During her time as nurse manager and later nursing director, Dame Julie undertook an MA in Health Services Studies at Leeds University and was seconded to work at the Department of Health on developing nursing roles.

After a year in general management, in 1998, she became a director in the newly merged Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ Trust. She moved to Birmingham in 2002 to become the Executive Director of Operations at University Hospitals Birmingham, where she was responsible for the day-to-day running of Selly Oak and Queen Elizabeth hospitals.

In 2006 she was appointed Chief Executive of the country’s 10th biggest trust, one of only two women in charge of a large teaching hospital, nationwide.

In April 2011, Dame Julie was appointed to lead the Education and Training group for the NHS Future Forum’s NHS listening exercise.

Speaking about her New Year Honour, she said: “It was a great surprise to receive the letter. It was amongst a week's worth of post and, as it was from the Cabinet Office, I thought it was about the Future Forum work.

"So when I opened it I was shocked to say the least! I had no idea. It was totally unexpected."

She added: "The title won't change me but it will certainly take some getting used to."

Dame Julie was a member of the National Organ Donation Taskforces in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 she was a member of the Nuffield Trust Steering Group on New Frontiers in Efficiency.

She is a member of the International Advisory Board of the University of Birmingham Business School, an Independent board member of the Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research (OSCHR) and a member of the MoD/DH Partnership Board overseeing health care of military personnel.

Dame Julie is also a member of the Commission on Living Standards undertaken by the Resolution Foundation and a board member of Marketing Birmingham, a strategic partnership to drive the inward investment strategy for the city. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.