interviews

17.09.19

NHS dreams come true for Teesside domestic

Over 20 years ago, a Teesside hospital cleaner put down her mop and took steps towards her midwifery dreams.

Lisa Payne has been delivering babies at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust for 20 years, but that wasn’t where her career was originally heading.

Lisa worked as a domestic on the maternity ward in 1994 and it was here that she saw first-hand the hard work and tremendous rewards that came with bringing new life into the world.

She explained: “Back in 1999 I took a permanent role with the hospital as a domestic on the maternity ward. I spent time getting to know the staff, and it started to really interest me.”

Following a conversation with her then manager, she took the brave decision to enroll on to a level 2 NVQ in care and became a health care assistant on the ward she used to clean.

She quickly fell in love with learning and admitted “it had become addictive and I was so keen to learn more, I even took a qualification to become an assessor myself to support others studying.”

Around 10 years after she started cleaning on the ward, Lisa was ready to take the next big step. In 2004 she signed up to her ‘Access to Health’ course which provided the opportunity to apply for a place at the University of Teesside the following year for a degree in midwifery.

Not without its challenges, the university offer required minimum level 2 qualification In Maths, but by her own admission it had been a struggle for her at school. Not letting anything stop her, she said “after a lot of hard work, I finally achieved it.”

Her diligence saw her accepted through clearing a year early to complete her midwifery degree, a long-standing goal of hers. “When I was 17, I actually applied to be a midwife, but was told I was too young. At that time my family emigrated to Australia, so thoughts of delivering babies went out of my mind. When I think about the way it’s all worked out, I’m really proud.”

Now a wife and mother of three, Lisa credits her family, friends and colleagues for her success. “My children were very young when I started my learning, it was challenging at times but my husband was wonderful.”

Lisa’s incredible career has seen her work as part of a number of organisations across the region, but she returned to University Hospital of North Tees earlier this year, describing it as “coming home.”

Ward Manager at the Trust, Louise Wilkinson, commented: “Lisa is a real success story for what you can achieve once you commit to your ambitions. We determined that she has delivered over 340 babies across our region, impacting so many families at the very start of life. Her dedication has been inspiring, we hope her story might inspire others to choose midwifery as a career.”

 

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

national health executive tv

more videos >

latest healthcare news

NHS England commits £30m to join up HR and staff rostering systems

09/09/2020NHS England commits £30m to join up HR and staff rostering systems

As NHS England looks to support new ways of working, it has launched a £30m contract tender for HR and staff rostering systems, seeking sup... more >
Gender equality in NHS leadership requires further progress

09/09/2020Gender equality in NHS leadership requires further progress

New research carried out by the University of Exeter, on behalf of NHS Confederation, has shown that more progress is still needed to achieve gen... more >
NHS Trust set for big savings in shift to digital patient letters

09/09/2020NHS Trust set for big savings in shift to digital patient letters

Up and down the country, NHS trusts are finding new and innovative ways to leverage the power of digital technologies. In Bradford, paper appoint... more >

the scalpel's daily blog

Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

28/08/2020Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive, NHS Employers & Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Confederation The common enemy of coronavirus united the public side by side with the NHS in a way that many had not seen in their lifetimes and for others evoked war-time memories. It was an image of defiance personified by the unforgettable N... more >
read more blog posts from 'the scalpel' >

comment

NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

23/09/2019NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

Reason to celebrate as NHS says watching rugby can be good for your mental health and wellbeing. As the best rugby players in the world repr... more >
Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

21/06/2019Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

Taking time to say thank you is one of the hidden pillars of a society. Being on the receiving end of some “thanks” can make communit... more >
Nurses named as least-appreciated public sector workers

13/06/2019Nurses named as least-appreciated public sector workers

Nurses have been named as the most under-appreciated public sector professionals as new research reveals how shockingly under-vauled our NHS, edu... more >
Creating the Cardigan integrated care centre

10/06/2019Creating the Cardigan integrated care centre

Peter Skitt, county director and commissioner for Ceredigion Hywel Dda University Health Board, looks ahead to the new integrated care centre bei... more >

last word

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), sits down with National Health Executive as part of our... more > more last word articles >

editor's comment

26/06/2020Adapting and Innovating

Matt Roberts, National Health Executive Editorial Lead. NHE May/June 2020 Edition We’ve been through so much as a health sector and a society in recent months with coronavirus and nothing can take away from the loss and difficulties that we’ve faced but it vital we also don’t disregard the amazing efforts we’v... read more >

health service focus

‘We are the NHS’: NHS England publish newest People Plan

30/07/2020‘We are the NHS’: NHS England publish newest People Plan

NHS England has published its People Plan for... more >
How NHS Property Services adapted to a new way of working

01/07/2020How NHS Property Services adapted to a new way of working

From May/June 2020 edition Trish Stephen... more >