Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Sue Adkins saw an opportunity to apply for a role at NHFT as a hospitality assistant and was inspired to join the Trust to provide support to the community during the emerging crisis.

Sue successfully applied for the role of hospitality assistant and joined the Favell Wing at Cynthia Spencer Hospice where she would be providing care and support for Covid-19 patients before they could return home.

The ward had previously been unused for more than eight years and in just three weeks was transformed into a clinical care setting to care from patients from Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals.

Sue said: “At the start of the pandemic, I wanted to help in any way I could so I applied for the role of hospitality assistant at NHFT. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was provided with support from the very start of my time on Favell Wing.

“My day-to-day role was to provide food and drinks for patients throughout the day, as well as providing company for patients by helping with crossword puzzles. It was nice to be able to provide companionship for patients, and be able to help out during a difficult time.

Favell Wing was stepped down at the start of July as all patients were able to return home, but Sue has continued to work for NHFT.

“I really look forward to coming into work knowing that I will be working with such supportive colleagues and making a difference to patients’ days. When Favell Wing closed at the start of July, I wanted to continue to support our communities and I was encouraged to apply for as healthcare assistant which I am really looking forward to starting in the coming weeks.”

NHFT recruited for hospitality assistant roles to support clinical services during Covid-19. The roles were introduced to combine a mixture of duties from a Healthcare Assistant and domestic roles, receiving over 126 applications and recruiting 84 members of staff during the initial recruitment drive. The second tranche of recruitment received 101 applications and a further 64 hospitality assistants joined the cohort.

Chris Oakes, Executive Director of HR and Organisational Development at NHFT, added: “We initially recruited for hospitality assistants to provide support across NHFT’s services during the pandemic and we are pleased the initiative’s success. It is great to see how much Sue has enjoyed working at NHFT and that it has provided the opportunity for her to apply and join us as a healthcare assistant.”

To find out more about joining NHFT and the current opportunities visit: www.nhft.nhs.uk/jobs

By Editor