Patient Flow Manager, York Hospital

“I am the Patient Flow Manger at York Hospital, which I have done for the last year and for the previous three years at Scarborough Hospital in a similar role.

“I manage several teams, including transfer, discharge liaison and bed managers. Together our job is to manage the movement of patients into, through and out of hospital.

“Patients come to us via a variety of routes - GP’s, emergency departments, outpatients, elective admissions and repatriation from other hospitals - to mention just a few. Between us we are responsible for putting patients in the right place at the right time.

“I started my nurse training on 5 September 1983 in Kent - which is the day I also met my wife. We qualified together and moved to Leeds to continue our training. Over the years I have had numerous roles including working on medical wards, acute admission units, night nurse practitioner, clinical site manager, bed manager and I have managed discharge teams. It’s difficult to say which has been my favourite role as I’ve enjoyed them all for a variety for reasons. I do fondly remember my first job for the excitement, the challenge of taking on new responsibilities and for making the friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

“The hardest job I have done is this one - every day is a challenge and is unique. In many ways it’s like a puzzle to be solved with many parts that constantly change, so what worked yesterday may not work today. The challenge for me is to keep the focus on staff and patients and ensure the best outcomes for all.

“I didn’t always want to be a nurse. Originally I thought I might become a fireman or a teacher, somewhere I could make a difference being the common thread. I knew I didn’t want an office job and I had strong desire to help people, so when a friend talked to me about nursing it sounded interesting and the rest, you could say, is history.

“There are many patients that I will never forget for so many reasons. Some for sad reasons, such as sitting with a patient while they died because they had no-one else. Some for the sheer joy of seeing their face when they saw their child being born - and others because I simply can’t forget the things I saw or because it was a brilliant day for them.

“I have been given several pieces of advice over the years but one of the best is: “Every day is a school day.” Take every opportunity to learn something new and share that knowledge to help others grow.

“I have worked for the NHS for half of its lifetime. As the final face in this campaign it has offered me the opportunity to think back over the years and consider why I am still here. Simply, I am intensely proud of working for the NHS and immensely proud of the achievements we make collectively. NHS staff come from a good place - they put others first and often put themselves out for their patients or colleagues. My motivation when I joined was a desire to help, to care and the drive to make a difference. Ask any new member of staff what motivates them and that still rings true today.

“The NHS is the jewel in the crown of healthcare both nationally and internationally. I think it is something we should all be proud of. I certainly am."

Porter, Malton Hospital

“I’ve worked for the NHS since 2003 and work as a porter at Malton Hospital. My job is very varied and one of the things I enjoy most is helping patients, staff and visitors who come to the hospital.

“While working for the Trust I’ve been lucky enough to be the spokesperson for stammering awareness. It’s meant that I’ve been able to help people understand what it means to have a stammer and what they can do to help. It’s not simply a speech difficulty but it can be a serious communication problem and can lead to people being ignored or overlooked.

“This year International Stammering Awareness Day is 22 October and it’s an excellent opportunity to get people talking about stammering. Colleagues can provide support by being patient, especially with phone calls and encouraging people to participate in conversations.

“In the 15 years I’ve worked for the NHS I’ve seen lots of changes. Some of these have been real improvements, for example in environmental issues such as the removal of cardboard products and disposing of food waste. We’ve also seen some real advances in cleaning systems to improve standards.

“Hopefully more young people will be around to develop and maintain the high standards we have within the NHS in the future – and keep it going for the next 70 years!”

Catering Supervisor - Malton Hospital

Consultant Ophthalmologist, York Hospital

“I am an ophthalmic surgeon, specialising in retinal problems, such as retinal detachment.  My job combines many of the things I enjoy - such as very tiny detailed work, getting to know people from all walks of life, and doing my bit for the community.

“One of the things I like most about my specialty is that I can see what is wrong with a patient almost immediately just by looking at them or at a scan of their eye.  It’s very satisfying to be able to give a patient a diagnosis pretty much straight away, most of the time.  We have some amazing technology which we use to image the retina, and I enjoy being able to show patients their scans before and after surgery.

“I first worked at York Hospital as a junior doctor in training, and was inspired and encouraged by many wonderful colleagues to apply for a consultant post here.  I’ve now been a consultant for four years, a role I find challenging, exciting and thoroughly rewarding.  I also do an outreach clinic at Scarborough Hospital once a fortnight, which is a welcome change of scenery that allows me to see my patients closer to where they live.

“I have had many wise pieces of advice over the years, but the best one comes from my dad; ‘You must never be afraid to stop and look at the map’.  He said this just before my first long solo car journey many years ago, but I feel it can be applied to most situations.  There is always something or someone who can help you carry out what you need to do, just as long as you stop and remember that you’re not on your own.  I think this sums up the ethos of the NHS rather well too.

“I believe passionately in the NHS and feel strongly that it should continue to provide world-class care, which is free at the point of delivery.”

Mechanical and Electrical Engineering apprentice, Scarborough Hospital

“I’m a Mechanical and Electrical Engineering apprentice, responsible for running the Print Department at Scarborough Hospital. I’ve worked for the Trust for ten years, originally starting in central stores, progressing to set up the Materials Management department, before moving over to Estates to take an engineering career opportunity.

“I love the versatility of my job within the Estates Department, especially working in the print shop where we produce a wide range of products. We have an internal catalogue that we have collated which, at present, consists of over 900 different documents…and it’s expanding daily. On average we process around 250 jobs a month - which includes everything from signage, leaflets, posters, booklets to carbon copy products. Currently I am in the process of sourcing new state of the art machinery for the department, which is a privilege as technology nowadays within the printing industry is very impressive. We are also looking at extending the Print Department to a much bigger scale in the very near future, which is an exciting prospect for the Trust and for me personally.

“I have seen many changes in the NHS over the last ten years. The biggest change for me has been the new technology that has been introduced - from when I worked in materials management and introduced digital ordering to make the system more environmentally friendly - to today, where we are actually using 3D print technology to save lives.

“I’ve worked in a wide range of careers, including the Armed Forces. The main reasons I joined the army was because I was looking for a lifelong career and I liked the idea of serving my country. The ideology when joining the NHS was the same - great career opportunity and to be part a great institution.

“When I think of the NHS it’s something that I am very proud of. It’s a huge institution that has outstanding core values, cares for society without prejudice and looks after the most vulnerable. My brother owes his life to the NHS, as do many people, hence why the NHS is so close to so many people’s hearts, including my own.”

Team Manager for Adult Speech & Language Therapy, Trust-Wide

“I am the Team Manager for Adult Speech & Language Therapy at the Trust.  I qualified from university in 2000 and took up my first post in Birmingham with paediatrics.  I joined the Trust in 2002 and began to specialise in working with adults with acquired neurological conditions.  I took the position of Team Manager in 2016.

“I knew I wanted to be a speech and language therapist since school age - mainly due to my love of communicating which will come as no surprise to those who know me!

“My clinical job involves assessing and managing people who have communication and swallowing difficulties.  This can be due to a number of conditions, such as an acute event like stroke, general frailty or a long standing progressive neurological condition. 

“The best part of my clinical work is helping people along their journey of recovery.  It is extremely satisfying to tell someone they can eat again safely after weeks of being nil by mouth, or facilitating them to speak - whether this is verbally or through the use of technology.

“The NHS is constantly changing and can be a fast paced, challenging but exciting environment to work in.  My team manager role has allowed me to lead on service improvements and play a crucial role in supporting and developing staff.  Speech Therapy is a small team and not without challenges, so it is so gratifying to see the lengths staff will go to support each other and ensure patients are always put first.

“The biggest change I have seen since starting in the NHS has got to be the shift in technology.  When I started my career, if someone was unable to speak verbally their options were limited.  Most people remember the robotic sounding devices used.  Times have certainly changed and now people can voice bank and use their own voices through iPads.  I love that as a speech therapist I can play an integral part in this journey with the patient.

“I work on a daily basis with some amazing people, many of which have helped me along my journey.  I am proud to be part of the NHS and could not imagine doing anything else.”

Medical Education Manager, Scarborough Hospital

“I am the Medical Education Manager at Scarborough Hospital.  It’s my role to provide education and support for doctors in training while they are in the hospital.

“I remember reading in the local newspaper about the new simulated ward being built at Scarborough Hospital to help train junior doctors.  My background is in Training and Development and this sounded really interesting, so when the Medical Education Manager position was advertised I jumped at the chance and was lucky enough to be successful.

“I love my job because it is so varied, there are so many advances in medical education - the role is evolving all the time.  I feel privileged to work with some amazing people - their dedication, creativity and enthusiasm is inspiring.

“I’ve seen many changes in education within the NHS.  I’ve seen the development of new technologies such as using virtual reality as a training tool, using interactive hologram teachers in classrooms and 3D printing in healthcare where scientists are now able to print organs using stem cells for transplant into patients.  We have been able to use some of these methods for training in the Postgraduate Centre with great success and there are exciting times ahead.

“I am very proud to work for the NHS.  It is one of the best organisations in the world.  I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite extensively and I have seen healthcare in other parts of the world.  It really brings it home to me how fortunate we are to have such excellent healthcare available to all of us at no cost.

“There have been some real advances in patient care and working as part of the NHS team, be it in a clinical, educational or support role,  I’d like to think that we all contribute in some small way to that.

“Someone once told me to work out what you’re good at and enjoy doing most in life - and then find someone to pay you to do it.  As Medical Education Manager I think I’ve managed to accomplish that!”

Locality Manager, Selby

“I started my student nurse training at York Hospital in 1987. I qualified as registered general nurse in 1991 and my first staff nurse job was on a trauma orthopaedic ward. The transition from student nurse to staff nurse was scary! 

“My mum was an enrolled nurse and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. She told me lots of stories and made nursing sound so interesting and fun. I love working for the NHS because it allows me to make a difference to people’s lives when they need it the most and this is a privilege, and I love working with people and care about others. The NHS offers a diverse range of career prospects for all including careers for academics and non-academics. It embraces diversity and has pathways for those that seek a career in healthcare such as apprenticeships, with the number and range of these set to grow. 

“I’ve had various nursing roles in the Trust and have worked in orthopaedics, elderly medicine, risk management and community. Each time I moved wards, I sought promotion because in those days staff nurse posts were graded D or E. I worked as a ward sister, risk reviewer and trainer and as a matron. The trainer role was very different to hands on patient care, focusing on patient and staff safety. 

“In 2015 I moved to community services as an operational manager based at Selby War Memorial Hospital managing community nursing teams, a community response team, specialist nurses and in-patient community hospitals and out-patient departments. 

“I’ve had two career breaks to spend time with my children and have returned to full-time work after a year’s break. I’m an advocate of life-long learning and the NHS has supported to me undertake a Diploma in Health Studies, a BSc (Hons) in Health Care Practice and also an MSc in Healthcare Leadership. 

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working in all the different roles I’ve had at York Hospital and moving to work in the community has changed my perspective on care. It’s really important we discharge patients from hospital to home as soon as possible. The longer they are an inpatient they are at risk of de-conditioning with loss of muscle, physical strength and functional ability as well as acquiring infections – home is best! 

“I love the diversity of my role and every day is different. The development of staff is my favourite part - supporting staff to grow in their role and the benefits that brings give me the feel good factor.

“One thing about working for the NHS is job satisfaction - going home feeling that I’ve made a positive difference to patients’ and staff lives. Also if I have completed my ‘to do’ list for the day or emptied my inbox I’m very happy!

“Since the first day I walked into York Hospital I have experienced so much and a lot has changed, particularly in diagnostics and treatment. Nursing has changed a lot too over the years, adapting to the needs of patients and taking on additional roles to support medical colleagues. We work at a faster pace where change is constant - there seems to be more of it and it’s rapid. Perhaps the speed of change has something with to do my age! 

“These days I don’t have direct contact with patients every day but I pledge to be kind and respectful towards my colleagues. I am mindful that we are all working together to ensure that patients have the best experience possible. It’s my role to create the environment that supports staff to deliver the standard of care required.”

Specialist Fire Safety Adviser, Trust-Wide

“I am a Specialist Fire Safety Adviser employed by the Trust to look after all aspects of fire across the Trust estate. I am also an elected member of the Trust’s council of governors for York Hospital. 

“My role as Fire Safety Adviser is varied and at times challenging, with my responsibilities ranging from training staff to offering advice on capital projects and carrying out risk assessments. All of this ensures that as a Trust we remain compliant with national legislation and NHS guidance requirements.

“I have been with the Trust for just over 10 years, having served in the RAF for 31 years as a firefighter. During that period I was fortunate to serve on a number of units at home and abroad, such as Germany, Belize, Cyprus and the Netherlands along with detachments to the US, the Falkland Islands, Kuwait, Sardinia and New Zealand.

“When I left the RAF as a Flight Sergeant in 2007, having gained all that experience, I wanted to remain within the fire safety profession. The NHS seemed a natural progression and for me was a good fit. So when the opportunity arose to join the Trust in 2008, in a role I was both comfortable and familiar with, it almost felt like an extension of my military career and enabled me to continue in public service.

“My job gives me enormous satisfaction, no two days are alike and there is always something happening. I am especially proud to be, in this our 70th year, one small cog in the team that is York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. 

“My role as a member of the council of governors saw me elected to the board by staff members of the Trust. Alongside my Fire Safety Adviser position it affords me plenty of opportunity to meet and get to know colleagues at every level. What is always apparent with all the staff I meet is the professionalism and dedication they all have and just how focused they are in putting the welfare and care of our patients first and at the centre of everything we do. 

“The biggest change I’ve seen in my relatively short NHS career to date is the constant financial pressure that’s put on the organisation. It seems as though every year we are faced with yet another target to meet or another saving to make. Despite this, we can be proud of what we have and continue to achieve.

“The best advice I was ever given was from one of my former crew commanders in the RAF, who said; “remember the 5 P’s young man and you won’t go far wrong, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance”.