Video

NHS70: Norfolk and Norwich staff on why they love the health service

Michele van der water. Photo: NNUH NNUH

Staff have been sharing what they love about working at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) as part of the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

Liz Lancashire. Photo: NNUH Liz Lancashire. Photo: NNUH

Throughout July, the Trust will be sharing 70 staff stories on the trust’s Twitter and Facebook to profile their skills and successes.

Michèle van der Water, nursing assistant, said: “I have found the NNUH very welcoming, no matter what ward or unit I work on. Colleagues are helpful and very supportive.

“On the Jack Pryor Unit I have found my perfect environment and I can see myself working here for many years to come.

“My motto is ‘If I can make one person smile per day that means I get hundreds of people smiling each year.’

Lyn Bygrave. Photo: NNUH Lyn Bygrave. Photo: NNUH

Liz Lancashire, practice development midwife, said: “I love working at the NNUH because it encompasses my philosophy of midwifery perfectly. As a member of the maternity team we place mums at the centre of everything we do. All of our service developments aim to increase safety and quality for our mums and babies. The best bit about working here is the multi-professional working. We are one big team, we train together, we work together and everyone is really friendly and welcoming.”

Lyn Bygrave, stroke assistant practitioner, said: “I enjoy working within the stroke unit for so many reasons from being in A&E and making a difference right from the start of what is one of the worse days of a family’s life. This can be as simple and profound as holding someone’s hand, to helping explain the procedure of what is happening and why, to working on the ward to ensure the best possible care is given, my clinical skills are developing every single day. I work with the best team, who support each other on the really bad days and celebrate on the good days.”

Adrian Tearle, lead healthcare scientist in neurophysiology, said: “This is the friendliest hospital I have worked in, everyone has this great shared goal of caring for our patients and I am proud to be one of its employees.

“My work is quite diverse, ranging from managing the department and my team through to performing a variety of Neurophysiological investigations. I find providing a professional service to help prove a patient’s diagnosis to be very rewarding.”

Adrian Tearle. Photo: NNUH Adrian Tearle. Photo: NNUH

Janice Nash, senior physiotherapist, said: “I love working as part of the Physiotherapy team but also with other staff from a variety of professions.

“I particularly enjoy being part of the multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation classes for people who have had heart attacks and running clinics for people with breathing pattern disorders. I also enjoy the ward work, helping people with acute chest problems and encouraging people to regain their mobility.

“I have found something positive in every day I have worked.”

Nic Smith, learning disability liaison nurse, said: “The best bit about my job is seeing the impact that small adjustments can have on a person’s hospital experience. Seeing people achieve things that they weren’t sure they’d be able to do, such as having a CT scan or having bloods taken, for example, is a wonderful feeling. Knowing that the work we do is contributing to people with learning disabilities having better health outcomes is an even more wonderful feeling.”

Janice Nash. Photo: NNUH Janice Nash. Photo: NNUH

Paul Read, advanced clinical practitioner in the emergency Ddepartment, said: “I am from Norfolk and I have worked here for 15 years. The hospital is a friendly place to work and I have been given a lot of opportunities here.

“The trust has supported me throughout my career and given me opportunities to do more advanced training, my masters degree and proposing the new ACP role in the department and supported its introduction.

“It’s been a positive experience being able to make changes for the benefit of patients and the department.”