Spotlight on our Practice Development Sisters | News

Doctors and nurses are, for many, the face of the NHS. But behind the scenes our patient care is supported by a whole host of specialists. We’re shinning a light on two staff members who are Practice Development Sisters.

First things first, what is Practice Development? The whole team is made of experienced educators and clinical staff who work across the Trust to support nursing staff to deliver high quality, compassionate care to our patients. There is a strong focus on education – with the team helping colleagues easily identify and access the latest training for the role – and personal career development.

What’s it like to work in Practice Development?

Emily and Naomi are two of our Practice Development Sisters. Together, they can count 30 years working at Royal Surrey since they started out as nurses. They transferred to the Practice Development team because they wanted to use their experience to support colleagues grow and develop in their roles while delivering the best possible care to our patients.

Getting into specifics, Emily focuses on supporting health care assistants and Naomi supports newly registered nurses. Their days are varied and can consist of teaching, setting up staff training and supervising staff on the job – to name a few responsibilities. Emily said:

“Whatever our plans for the day, we always start by discussing our tasks for the day and how we can support one another. After which, if we’re teaching, we will be preparing the lessons, whether that be gathering equipment for practical work or checking our slides for lectures. Outside of teaching, we could be on the wards supporting colleagues as they care for patients, or in the office organising their certification or training.”

“Helping and supporting our staff is at the core of what we love to do”

A supportive approach is a huge priority for the Practice Development team. They work with clinical colleagues with all levels of experience and needs, from people new to healthcare right through to those who have been working in the field for years. Naomi said:

“We both really enjoy taking people under our wings and giving them the support they need. Whether it is to provide patients with exceptional care or to develop their own knowledge and career.”

“The supportive nature of the role really drew me in. As well as supporting them to deliver the best care, we support our staff to develop their own knowledge and career, helping them reach their full potential. We also want to make sure they feel like their wellbeing needs are being meet. This can mean organising further training or simply being there for staff when they feel under pressure.”

Emily added: “Helping and supporting our staff is at the core of what we love to do. Our staff want to deliver outstanding care and we’re passionate about helping them to do so.”