Sarah Mullally

Early life and education

Mullally was educated at Winston Churchill Comprehensive School, Woking, Surrey and subsequently at Woking Sixth Form College. She began her nursing career in 1980 undertaking a nursing degree at South Bank Polytechnic undertaking clinical placements at St Thomas' Hospital, she was awarded a joint RGN and BSc (Hons) in 1984. She also completed an MSc in Inter-professional Health and Welfare Studies at London South Bank University in 1992.

Medical career

Mullally held clinical nursing posts at St Thomas' Hospital, The Royal Marsden Hospital (where she completed their specialist nursing course) and a number of nursing leadership roles, firstly at the former Westminster Hospital (where she was a ward sister and head of practice development) and then as Director of Nursing at the Chelsea and Westminster later becoming Deputy and Acting Chief Executive Officer. In 1999 she was appointed as Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Patient Experience for England. She was the youngest person to hold these positions. She has also been a non-executive Director of the English Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

Mullally was an independent governor for London South Bank University between 2005 and 2015, where she became vice-chair of the board of governors and chair of the policy and resources committee. She was a non-executive director of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust from 2005 to 2012. In 2012 she took on a non-executive role at Salisbury NHS Foundation.

Ordained ministry

Mullally was ordained as a deacon in 2001 after theological training at the South East Institute of Theological Education. She was ordained as a priest in 2002 and was an assistant curate at St Saviour's Battersea Fields from 2001. She left her position as chief nursing officer in 2004 to pursue full-time ministry. She completed an MA in Pastoral Theology at Heythrop College, University of London in 2006.

In September 2006 she was installed as team rector of Sutton Team Ministry at St Nicholas' Church in Sutton, London. In addition to her parish work, Mullally taught ethics in the Diocese of Southwark, has involvement in an Anglican clergy leadership programme and sits on the Church of England's Dioceses Commission. In 2012 she was installed as canon treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral.

Episcopal ministry

On 9 June 2015, it was announced that Mullally would be the next Bishop of Crediton, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Exeter. On 22 July 2015, she was consecrated a bishop by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. She and Rachel Treweek were the first women to be ordained as bishops in Canterbury Cathedral. On 26 September 2015, she became the first woman in the Church of England to lead an ordination service; she ordained two deacons, Leisa McGovern and Sheila Walker, as priests in St Mary's Church, Ottery St Mary, Devon.

Personal life

In 1987, she married Eamonn Mullally. Together, they have two children; a daughter and son.

Honours

In 2005, she became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition for her contribution to nursing and midwifery. She has also been named Fellow of London South Bank University 2001; Honorary DHSc, Bournemouth University 2004; Honorary DHSc, University of Wolverhampton 2004; Honorary DHSc, University of Hertfordshire 2005; and Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University 2006.