Staff constituency

I have worked at South Tees for six years and I am currently cancer research team lead. I am a scientist by training and extremely proud to work for the NHS, playing a part in improving care for our patients.

My role in setting up and running cancer trials involves working with many different departments and many different people both clinical and non-clinical, as well as a large patient population, offering our patients the latest treatments, surgical techniques and diagnostic methods.

I am clinical research practitioner engagement lead for the North East and North Cumbria, which is a voluntary position where I focus on staff development and recognition.

I have worked in the trust for 22 years, across most clinical specialties as a senior physiotherapist including surgery, paediatrics and cancer services. My current role is professions lead for allied health professionals. I am passionate about everyone achieving their very best and living their best lives and enabling a compassionate and inclusive environment, in which everyone feels valued and listened to. It is about acknowledging that our needs may be different to each other, and a one size fits all approach is not the solution, and that we all have something different and special to offer.

I currently lead on the implementation of Making Every Contact Count (MECC) in the organisation. I believe the concept of MECC can be used in our everyday interactions with each other, ensuring everyone is enriched at the end of our conversations. I believe in treating each other as equal partners in all we do, collaborating in developing solutions and creating relationships that meet our needs as social beings.

I want to help the trust provide excellent care for those who use the services and provide better support to staff.

I have spent most of my seven years of employment at James Cook working in pathology among staff with different backgrounds, race, ethnicity and specialties.

Outside of work I have a pastoral role over a church of people from different nationalities. As a religious leader I have constant interaction with other community people from other faiths.

I have taken on the responsibility of pathology clinical supervisor to help the FY2 (foundation) doctors.

I have worked for the trust for two years as a health care assistant in gynaecology outpatients. I cover many clinics both clinical and non clinical and find it very interesting. I recently became a department champion for IPC and take the role very seriously. Patient care is my upmost priority, making sure every patient is comfortable and happy in the environment. We have a great team of HCAs and I am proud of what we do.

I have worked at South Tees for seven years and I am currently service manager of the James Cook Cancer Institute.

Like others, I’m proud to work for the NHS, and really want to do my bit to support patients and staff. In addition to my day job, I’m a coach, mentor and the lead for the NHS graduate scheme within the trust.

I’m keen to promote civility, compassion, kindness and a coaching culture and with a previous career in specialist mental health services, I want to enhance the care and support given to staff to help them remain at or return to work. I also want to support the trust to improve their recruitment and retention.