Around 300 colleagues attended the launch of our Nursing and Midwifery Strategy at CRH* yesterday.
The strategy is written around our Four Pillars – and each pillar has six aims with lots of plans to support them. It was such a special event for us we invited Margaret Kitching, Chief Nurse (North), NHS.
There were sessions throughout the day so as many colleagues could attend, and market stalls showing off all recent innovations and thanks to local beauticians who came in to offer mini-pamper sessions.
Director of Nursing, Ellen Armistead, said: "We've launched our new strategy so we can support improvements for both colleagues and patients. For colleagues it's about increased staff satisfaction, as well as helping us improve our recruitment and retention and with a national shortage of registered nurses we need to do things differently to improve.
"And if we have happy staff then our patients benefit too. Our safety will be improved, leading to an even better reputation, and we'll be seen as a Centre of Excellence for Nursing and Midwifery. We want other Trusts to say what a great job we’re doing and to come and see our work for themselves.
"I'm keen we take the opportunity of the Florence Nightingale bicentennial celebrations to reflect on our successes and to move forward as a centre of excellence for nursing and midwifery practice."
After the first very busy session, Frailty Nurse, Claire Brewster , said “This is just what we need and it's great to know we have the senior support behind us to help us move forward.
"I thought Ellen really connected with a lot of the nurses and midwives at the event. She brought to life some of the things my colleagues and I have been thinking about for some time, and I left the session feeling reinvigorated and inspired.”
Sisters Jodie Spencer from MAU and Chloe Gough from ED (pictured below) were keen to volunteer after the first session in setting up a Practice Council as part of a wider Shared Governance NHS initiative, to help wider cross-team working and knowledge sharing – and the volunteers kept coming throughout the day!
Chloe, said “It’s nice to see the strategy headed up with the word nursing. It's great and I think this is fantastic for our profession”.
Ellen was bowled over by the turnout and interest in the day, saying: “Wow, just wow, is all I can say. I really didn’t expect so many colleagues to come along, and this really shows the strength of feeling and passion from our nursing and midwifery workforce.
“CHFT is an absolutely fantastic place to work and to be cared for, but I firmly believe all places can be better, and I’m truly excited by what’s to come over the next year.
“I am committed to all our ambitions to make sure we all have the Time to Care.”
Margaret Kitching, said: “I was really honoured to be invited along and was inspired by the strategy and the way the organisation wants to move forward.
“It was great to see the number of colleagues who got engaged with the event and were so very passionate about it."
Afterwards, Ellen thanked Steph Jones for "putting her heart and soul into it" since before Christmas for all he organisation, planning and co-ordination.
* More sessions will be held at HRI, in the Community and for night staff.