16 April 2020

The Trust’s temporarily redeployed Children’s staff are making a positive difference to the COVID effort.

A move is not always easy but have such respect for staff who are working in very different roles. Across both Inner and Outer London services we’ve had wonderful feedback from staff who comment on how valued and welcomed they have felt in adult services.

A Health Visitor, told me, ‘’It has opened a whole new world, with absolutely fantastic colleagues, on the wards in St Pancras hospital. Lots of respect for them, very hard working, competent and caring professionals. It is nice how we have been welcomed, supported with finding our way, getting up to speed with our nursing skills, their generosity and good sense of humour. It is nice to work with other re-deployed staff from sexual health, speech and language background; a fantastic team spirit.’’

In Outer London   one of our fabulous Paediatric  Physio technicians, says they were “all very nervous to begin with and anxious about whether we'd actually be any use but have settled in and are learning the ropes!  Yes it's completely out of our collective comfort zones but that's not always a bad thing and I am certainly feeling that what I'm doing is valued by the HICU staff who are amazing and have been so welcoming to us all.” 

The team are also learning many new skills including End of Life Care; “Yes is was very sad and yes I shed some tears for her and her family but I feel that she gave me that gift of being able to care for her in her last days and overcome my own fears of supporting patients who are dying.  It was a privilege.”

“ I've never worked with older people before, but am loving it; they have so many stories to tell and I hope that we can continue to have the time to listen to them once the unit becomes busier.”

I could not be more proud.

 

Zoe Sargent

Associate Director, Children’s Services