Caring for carers a rewarding role
Heather Lewis, clinical nurse leader, cares for the carers.
Seven years. My partner and I moved from Kent in the UK for a better work-life balance. I was an oncology nurse and have 17 years management experience.
I’ve got at least 28 nurses and six healthcare assistants to manage. It’s about making sure they are fit and well to do their job because their work can be quite intense.
There’s a lot of paperwork: health and safety, infection control, making sure staff are competent, that they have their registration with Nursing Council and so on.
We’re a 24/7 service so I have to make sure we have enough staff and the right skill mix.
It’s varied and often needs me to be thinking on my feet.
It can be a stressful role as it is about managing people and delivering a service to achieve everyone’s expectations and that can be quite tough.
It would just be great to all be in the same building.
For me the team isn’t just the nurses; it’s the behind the scenes people too - IT admin, the volunteer co-ordinator, social workers, the chaplain, Boyd the equipment man . ..
So we can be seen more as a team - it would be great for people to be able to have coffee together.
I like walking and cycling. I like to use the cycle trails - Brightwater, Wakefield, out to Rabbit Island with my partner and friends.