Welcome to Humans of Healthcare!
Humans of Healthcare shines a light on the wealth of immense talent we have at the Trust, as well as the diverse and dedicated teams that work in all areas of the organisation.
Rachel Addy, Associate Director of Nursing and Joint Clinical Lead for Building Your Future Hospitals, reflects on her 20 year nursing career at Epsom and St Helier hospitals and why it is incredibly important to get the views of nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals when designing new hospital buildings.
In this edition Deborah Gouveia, talks through her rise from Saturday staff in Boots to leading system improvements for patients in all our communities and more than 7,000 staff.
“I chose not to go to university, opting instead to focus on my career goals. I wanted to apply for a career in a well-established field with progression and my mother always wanted me to be a doctor, so I chose the NHS."
“Early in 2020 I was asked to write about my career as part of the preparations for International Year of the Nurse. Soon after, COVID-19 arrived and I was redeployed to an area within the Renal Unit to look after some of the sickest Covid patients outside of intensive care; I was redeployed for six months."
“For me, what brought me into nursing was wanting to make a difference. When my children were in education, I started a voluntary job, taking people with learning disabilities for days out – to lunch, films, even the London Eye – and I really enjoyed it. It was suggested to me that I should go into nursing."
“Being a nurse is a privilege. After I had my son, I wanted to get back into work. A part-time healthcare assistant role came up at a residential home – and I just loved it! The last thing we can give someone in old age is their dignity and I felt honoured to be able to do that for them.
