Tell us a little about your role and what attracted you to it?
The Head of Service role provides an opportunity to help shape and deliver high quality care to patients. For the past 6 years I have worked in a variety of management roles across medicine, surgery and front door services so I saw this post as a way of pulling together my experience into one which was really attractive to me. I also have to say that the positive welcome and enthusiasm that I experienced when visiting the hospital before applying for the post made the job and a move to Forth Valley much more appealing.
What are your initial priorities and what are you hoping to achieve in your first year?
It is hard to say as I’m only 6 weeks into the role but I really hope I can build good working relationships with the teams. For me, this is really important to be able to work through the many challenges that we face in our day to day work.
What is your earliest memory?
My Dad was a fisherman so listening to the fishing forecast on a Sunday while waiting to hear if he would be heading out to sea is a strong memory. If the weather was bad it would mean an ice cream in the car while watching the waves come over the harbour walls. You can imagine what I was hoping for…..
What are you like first thing in the morning?
It’s fair to say Monday to Friday, I am a get up and go type of person and I’m generally quite cheerful once I’ve had my cup of tea. However, at the weekend I prefer a much slower start, reading a book whilst enjoying a morning cuppa is definitely my preferred start to the day followed by a long and lazy brunch.
Worst habit?
Shopping, especially if there is a ‘sale’ sign in the window! I always seem to find a way to justify purchases.
Top of your bucket list?
Every time I manage to tick something off the bucket list I like to add something new but the one I’ve not managed to tick (as it will most likely require a lottery win) is to travel the world. To take some time out of work to travel and experience new cultures and places is the dream.
What superpower do you wish you had and why?
It would definitely be shape-shifting as it would be such a good way to have new experiences and learn what it’s like for other creatures, I’m sure I would get to see some amazing things and would make me much more appreciative of their day to day life and struggles.
Where are you happiest?
There is nothing better than heading home to visit my parents on the North East Coast and curl up in front of the wood burner with a glass of red wine on a cold, wintry night. My family are all up North so any opportunities to spend time with them is a bonus.
Favourite book and why?
That’s a difficult question as there are so many to choose from but I am a fan of the classics with Pride and Prejudice being one of my favourites. I don’t read as much as I would like as by the time I get home from work my brain seems to struggle to focus but I do tend to read a lot on holiday, it’s the opportunity to escape into different worlds without any distractions that I enjoy.
Guilty food pleasure?
Chocolate, in any form! Whilst on a career break I lived in a remote community in South Sudan and my need for chocolate stretched to mixing drinking chocolate with water and pouring over weetabix….it is not advisable however I did eventually manage to source the ingredients to make chocolate truffles which were definitely much tastier!
