I began in the NHS 61 years ago and now work as a volunteer at Worthing Hospital. Few can have had the good fortune to be afforded the breadth of experience, or the variety of satisfying work, that I have been throughout my career.
The NHS has modernised and adapted more in my lifetime than any other public service, yet the fundamentals of a good patient experience have barely changed. Despite being under heavy pressure the service has never been more vital to the nation’s ongoing economic, physical and mental health; helping keep people in work and live healthy fulfilling lives.
I am privileged to serve as a Trust Governor for UHSussex; the area where I began as a hospital administrator, at Brighton’s much-loved Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital (RACH).
On leaving RACH my responsibilities spanned a wider geographical area, working on several complex region-wide projects, gaining valuable experience of interaction with local organisations and others responding to our extensive public consultations.
My later career focused, from the legal and service perspectives, on learning from untoward, sometimes catastrophic, events: assisting with major enquiries; working for the NHS Ombudsman; helping promote safe practice and reduce incidents of harm to patients and staff throughout the NHS.
I hope to continue as a volunteer Wayfinder (a role that brings me into direct contact with patients, visitors, and staff throughout the hospital) and I will strive to ensure the voices of all service-users in the Worthing area are reflected in the Trust’s deliberations.