Hear from our staff

''My name is Amy, I work as a Community Learning Disability Nurse/ Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner within our Community Learning Disability Team and I’ve worked for the Trust for 8 years.

I have always worked within Learning Disability services – a large part of my previous experience was working as an NVQ assessor within day services provision. In that role I trained and supported staff to achieve their full potential and provide safe and effective care to adults with a learning disability. That role inspired me to get more involved with the health and social care side of learning disability healthcare, as I have a natural passion and drive for breaking down barriers and improving access to mainstream healthcare.

I started at the Trust as Community Healthcare Support Worker with the Community LD Team in 2013. During my time in this role, I studied part time to complete my functional skills Maths and English and then completed a higher level Diploma in Healthcare. My manager and team were extremely supportive and flexible with this development. Then in 2016, I  was offered a place at Birmingham City University to complete my Nursing Degree – the trust offered me a secondment to complete this 3 year BSc Hons Degree and I qualified/registered as a Learning Disability Nurse in 2019.

I returned to the team after successful interview and began a band 5/6 development role, within 6 months I had completed my preceptorship and became a band 6 Community Nurse. An opportunity then presented to consider a MSc development role starting in September 2020 – I applied and was successful securing my current role as Community Learning Disability Nurse/Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner.

The support and encouragement that I have received from the Trust, my manager, team and colleagues has been incredible. I feel as though I am working in my dream role, consistently being encouraged to develop and progress throughout my career. 

I am surrounded by wonderfully creative and exceptional nurses and health professionals that inspire me every day. I am encouraged and supported to develop my practice and interventions to improve health outcomes for the people who access our services. This is extremely rewarding, seeing the benefits of collaborative, proactive and accessible healthcare is absolutely the most favourite part of my role. I work within a multidisciplinary team which in itself provides a diverse range of skills and clinical specialities – I love this collaborate way of working as it opens up many creative suggestions and opportunities which help to inform knowledge and evidence based practice. I could not do my job without the support and guidance from the professionals surrounding me. It really is a wonderful work family of support.''