ANGEL IN THE WINGS
JANE Wray is a nurse with a difference – she spends her working day behind bars. After many years on NHS wards she decided to follow her heart and work in the prison service. Today Jane, 39, of Hartlepool, Co Durham, looks after offenders in Holme House, a Category C jail in Stockton-on-Tees – a job she’d recommend to others.
What does the job involve?
I work as head of healthcare for Spectrum Community Health at Holme House, about half an hour from home. There isn’t a typical day in offender health.
One day I can be in back-to-back meetings with our Exec Team or prison colleagues, the next day I can be on the shop floor in uniform administering medication.
It’s difficult to define my exact role as it’s so versatile – but my day always starts with a Governor’s call before heading into our Enhanced Primary Care Unit for the first of two daily “safety huddles”, where we hand over shifts.
Following that, it’s either on to meetings or delivering patient care. I work with all sorts of different teams on site ranging from primary care to mental health. We care for some of the most vulnerable people in society and whatever each day brings, my priority is keeping the team safe, responsive, caring and effective.
What do you love about it?
Although the job can be extremely challenging it is also very rewarding. Leaving at the end of my day knowing I have helped someone is a special feeling – like all nursing. The job itself is great as I have the opportunity to work independently to ensure I meet the needs of all of my patients. That ensures job satisfaction.
I work with a great team of healthcare professionals who are friendly, hardworking and caring.
Do you feel safe?
When I decided to move from a hospital setting to a prison my friends and family were slightly worried. But I can honestly say I feel safer in the prison environment because disciplined staff are always on hand to help out should any issues arise.
Why did you make the move?
I always wanted to work in offender health. I have friends who work in that area and heard a lot of positive comments about it.
I’ve had a keen interest in it since I qualified as a staff nurse in 2004. I really enjoyed working in hospitals for 16 years but after progression throughout the NHS, I was looking for a new challenge and more opportunities to progress in my career.
After looking through NHS jobs I came across an advert for a head of healthcare role at Low Newton prison in County Durham. I applied and was really happy when I was successful.
That was in February 2020 just before Covid. It meant moving jobs was far more difficult than I had imagined and experienced before. Not only was I getting used to my new role in a completely different setting than I was used to, but I also had to deal with a global pandemic.
I got there though – and then I moved to Holme House a year ago.
What made you become a nurse?
I always wanted to be a nurse, ever since school work experience in a local nursing home that my auntie managed. I loved it. I knew that I wanted to help people and make a difference.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given was to treat all patients how you would want a family member to be treated.
Why would you recommend your job to others?
It’ a great job. We care for some of the most vulnerable in society
Working in the prison service is so rewarding on so many levels and, for me, working specifically for Spectrum is brilliant as they are so supportive of us as employees.
They are always on the lookout for the right people.
It’s a job that would suit any healthcare professional, particularly those interested in community nursing or being a practice nurse in a GP surgery.
You can find out more at spectrumhealth.org.uk who provide healthcare services for prisons across the North of England.