Our Winner I joined the NHS in 1991 when I was 19 years old. I worked in the pioneering Hospital Hotel and Kingston Hospital NHS Trust looking after patients who were unable to go home due to domestic/social reasons and who were ‘bed blocking’. It was also used as a convalescence unit prior to a patients discharge. It was the District Nurses who visited the Hotel that encouraged me to do my nurse training.

I took their advice and qualified as a nurse in 1995. My first post after I qualified was on the acute HIV/Resp ward again at Kingston Hospital which I loved. I then moved into the Community after consolidating my skills and became a Community Staff Nurse and in 1999 was sponsored to do my DN training.

I qualified in 2000 as a DN and for the next 2 years I was the DN to 2 GP surgeries in Surbiton. I then moved into Intermediate Care and for 6 years I was an ICT nurse which involved facilitating timely patient discharges from hospitals and preventing hospital admissions by keeping patients wherever possible at home. I also managed a team of rehabilitation assistants which was challenging but very enjoyable.

For the past 18 months I have been working as a Community Matron with NHS Richmond and am currently going through some extended training to enhance my knowledge and skills which will ultimately benefit my practice and above all my patients.