Summary
Tiina Thornton, MSc, BSN, RN, is Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Cleveland Clinic London. In her role, she leads nursing strategy and practice at the 184-bed state-of-the-art hospital in central London and 28,000-square-foot Portland Place Outpatient Centre. Thornton ensures the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care while fostering innovation and professional growth among nursing staff. She has served as a prominent leader at the organization since joining it in 2019. For three years, she led London’s activation planning and training team, developing schedules for 1,200 caregivers and more than 150 clinical scenarios, and earning the 2022 CEO Team of the Year Award. Most recently, she was Director of Nursing Quality and Professional Practice where her visionary leadership was instrumental in advancing nursing excellence and care standards. Thornton has also held interim director positions in London’s staffing office and ICU, as well as acute and ambulatory care areas.
Thornton found her passion for healthcare in 1995 when she was training as an ambulance assistant in South Africa. As a student nurse, she worked at Tauranga Hospital in New Zealand. After graduation, she became a staff nurse on an acute admission unit in a London hospital. In 2004, she assumed her first management position at the Harley Street Clinic within HCA Healthcare UK, where she spent nearly 15 years in senior leadership roles. In 2016, she was instrumental to the organization’s recognition as the first private hospital to earn an outstanding rating in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection. With more than 25 years in healthcare, Thornton belongs to numerous forums and networks and has several strategic partnerships with schools of nursing in the UK and internationally. She holds a master’s degree with distinction in advanced clinical healthcare, and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and in professional studies with a focus in cardiac and critical-care nursing.
Education
- MSc, Advanced Clinical Healthcare, Kings College London, London, 2018
- BSc, Professional Studies in Critical Care Nursing, Thames Valley University, London, 2003
- BSN, Jyvaskyla Polytechnic School of Health & Social Care, Finland, 1999
Credentials and Certifications
- Registered Nurse, The Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Project Management Certification, PRINCE®2 Practitioner and PRINCE®2 Foundation, AXELOS Best Practice
- Mentorship Development, Greenwich University
- Coronary Care Certification, Thames Valley University
- Critical Care Nursing Certification, Thames Valley University
- Diabetic Nursing Certification, English National Board, Middlesex University
Contact Information
Cleveland Clinic London
33 Grosvenor Pl
London SW1X 7HY
United Kingdom
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue / NA4
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
+44 (0) 7732 689323
thorntt2@ccf.org
Leadership
Thornton consistently demonstrates pragmatic and results-driven leadership that offers significant contribution and value. She aims to inspire and empower teams to deliver safe, high-quality care through professional development, education, shared governance and clinical leadership. She currently holds several key internal advisory roles, including with the global simulation advisory board, Nursing Institute innovation peer review committee and enterprise professional development and nursing practice councils. Thornton is well-versed in leading practice processes and program and policy design and implementation, including technologies, clinical systems, compliance and safety policies, leader and observational rounding and staff feedback initiatives.
Clinical Practice & Teaching
Clinical Practice
Thornton’s clinical expertise lies within the areas of cardiac and critical-care nursing.
Teaching
Thornton has extensive experience leading nursing education programs and initiatives, including student nurse scholarships, nurse rotations, preceptorships, residencies and fellowships. For several years, she has ensured successful relationships within the higher education community, functioning as a key liaison to strategic educational partners, including:
- London South Bank University
- Coventry University
- City St George’s, University of London
- Kent State University
Professional Involvement
- Member, Nursing and Midwifery Excellence UK
- Member, Chief Nursing Officer for England, Policy and Strategy Network and Research Network
- Member, London Simulation Network, UCL Partners
- Member, Florence Nightingale Foundation
- Past Participant, Leadership Program
- Member, The Centre for Advancing Practice, NHS England
- Member, Nursing Now Challenge, Burdett Trust for Nursing
- Member, Nurse Capital Network
- Member, Clinical Nurse Educator Network
- Strategic Partner, Jordanian Nursing Council
Honors & Awards
- Executive Nurse Fellow, Cleveland Clinic, 2021 – 2023
- CEO Team of the Year Award, Cleveland Clinic, 2022
- Samuel H. Miller Art of Nursing Award, Cleveland Clinic, 2021
