So, to tell you a little bit about my career, it all started when I applied for a higher national diploma in medical physics and physiological measurement. This was a two year programme covering areas such as respiratory function, nuclear medicine, medical engineering, cardiology and a few other things. 

I had just turned 16 when I started this programme and it required me to be away from home to undertake placements in each of the areas. After the first year I decided that it wasn't for me due to the fact it was a conveyor belt of patients attending for individual tests. One thing I did gain from this programme was an understanding of healthcare within hospitals having seen these various departments. 

After leaving the programme I immediately applied to undertake the project 2000 nursing course as a registered general nurse. The project 2000 programme entailed a common foundation of 18 months where you undertook placements in a variety of fields. Having completed a mental health inpatient placement towards the end of the common foundation programme I recognised that mental health was the area I was meant to work in.

On qualifying in 1997 I started as a registered mental health nurse on an inpatient acute ward and remained there for two years. Following this I worked within high secure services at Rampton hospital for a further two years before returning to acute inpatient care where I worked for a further 11 years as a staff nurse, deputy ward manager and ward manager.

After working for this length of time within acute inpatient care I felt the need to try other areas of work to broaden my knowledge skills and experience and I was successful in gaining a professional nurse advisor role which entailed setting up and managing a flexible staffing workforce for a large organisation. This role was based within a human resources team which provided a great insight into corporate functions. Whilst in this role I was asked to lead the rollout of eRostering within the organisation which took approximately two years. This developed my interest in the workforce department and theme of safer staffing and I have been fortunate to support the development of the mental health optimal staffing toolkit and more recently have become a chief nursing officer safer staffing fellow.

In 2018 I decided that I would like to work in a more clinical facing role and have been in a head of nursing positions since then. More recently I have been successful in gaining a chief nursing information officer role which is predominantly supporting the rollout of the electronic patient record. The chief nursing information officer is a relatively new role within NHS organisations and supports the safety, implementation, and effectiveness of digital solutions within healthcare.

I originally qualified as a mental health nurse way back in 1987 but left for varying reasons in 1994.

In 2009 I found myself without a job. My children were all growing up and I wanted to do something that I enjoyed - and that was caring for people.

I had been out of nursing for so long and didn’t have much confidence so I decided to apply for a health care support worker role in what was known then as the dementia rapid response team.

I was amazed and thrilled when the phone call came to say that I had been successful. I really loved working with older adults in their own homes and the team was fantastic.

A few months after I began this role, the team learned that I had been a nurse but that my registration had lapsed. They asked if I would like to do the back to practise course and I tentatively said that I would and before I knew it, I was handed an application form.

I couldn’t believe it when I was told that my application had been successful and that I would start a three month intensive course at Bradford University. The Trust sponsored me to do the training whilst working on the G1 ward as a support worker, with the promise of a promotion to a band 5 position when I passed.

I wont lie, it was extremely hard looking after four teenage kids and two step children whilst working as a support worker and studying. I’m not an academic and found the studying really difficult. To my amazement, I passed!

That was 15 years ago. My career journey has taken me to different services in different roles, back to the G1 ward as the ward manager and to where I am now as a band 8a nurse recruitment lead.

Back in 2009 as a support worker, I would never in a million years have thought that I would be in this position. Its been a difficult journey, with blood, sweat and tears along the way but I can honestly say that I have always been supported by SHSC to develop and forge my career.

For those of you who say “I’m just a support worker”, you are so much more. You are the beating heart of the Trust! Your knowledge and experience is essential to providing excellent, compassionate and safe care.

Those who start from humble beginnings, can most definitely reach the top and fly high.