Shropshire nursing boss: 'Thank you and goodbye'

This is my final column and I would like to say a huge thank you, and to those I have worked alongside for the last four years.

I have had the absolute privilege of working for the Trust as the Director of Nursing and in my role I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful patients, their loved ones, colleagues, volunteers and health partners.

I would also like to thank you for your support and understanding as the Trust continues its ongoing work to improve as it goes through an exciting programme of transformation. 

We continue to face challenging circumstances, but we are working to make improvements in all the different aspects of the care we provide, and we are making steady progress. We want everyone to have the best possible experience of care when they use our hospital services.

I am so proud of my inspirational colleagues who strive to do the right thing, being open, honest and inclusive, showing compassion and kindness and putting patients at the heart of everything they do.

So, what’s next for me? I leave the Trust this week having been offered an opportunity to do something a bit different, which allows me to develop different skills that will help me become a better leader in the future.

I am excited to be taking up a role with the Florence Nightingale Foundation, a charity supporting nurses and midwives. The role involves all the things I am really passionate about - people development, leadership and really shaping nursing and midwifery leadership to help improve care.

The Foundation’s principal focus is on improving health, clinical outcomes and patient experience, through building nursing and midwifery leadership capacity and capability.

I have always been a champion for education, and I just love it when I see the development of nurses and healthcare professionals at the Trust. It is so fantastic when you see a colleague thrive whilst learning to improve the care and experience that we offer to our patients.

That is why I was so honoured to receive the prestigious Cavell Star, which is awarded for contributions to nursing and education, from the Trust’s Education Team this week. 

Thank you for all your support over the last four years and I wish the Trust well in the future.