"I knew from day one, I had made the best decision in joining InHealth"

"It was 1998, and after having my second child 6 months earlier, it was time to go back to work.

I had spent the first 11 years of my working life as a qualified florist, and fancied a change, a challenge.

I saw an advertisement for technicians in the HSSU department of City hospital in Birmingham. A bit of research showed me that this was the decontamination and sterilization of surgical instruments. Right up my street I thought, so arranged an interview. This was the time that CJD was very much in the news, and brought the NHS, and particularly the sterilization profession into the forefront. Investment and recognition in this service were eventually given priority.

I secured myself a position in the unit, and started my decontamination journey on the 12th October 1998.

We processed surgical instruments for City hospital and Birmingham children's hospital, seven days a week.

After nine happy years, the service was tendered out to a private company, and in 2007 we moved premises, and I started working for Braun, instead of the NHS, but still doing the same job.

The unit was massive, we were now serving eight hospitals plus processing private work. Shortly after the transfer, I was asked to move to the nightshift as a supervisor, which I did the following week! The shift was hard work, with up to 30 staff, and a heavy workload, but we got into a routine.

Within 3 months, I was asked to be the Shift manager on the nightshift, which i accepted, and this is the position I remained in for the next eight years.

It was hard work, with the practical side, then with sorting rotas, spreadsheets, orders, absence, annual leave etc., but I loved the pressure, and the staff!

By 2015, I made the decision to step back from managing the shift, and move onto days as a supervisor. It was getting too much with young children, especially with the long hours, and needed to take the pressure off for a while. I was content in this position, and in time, I moved to working weekends, still as a supervisor, supporting the team leader.

By late 2022, I felt that the spark wasn’t there any more for me, and decided after 24 years it was maybe time to move on.

I heard that InHealth were looking for Decontamination staff in the mobile endoscopy units, and decided to apply. I had an interview, which was nerve wracking as it had been many years since my last one!

I was so happy when I was offered a position as HCSW. I finished my previous job on the 24th December, and started my InHealth journey on the 26th December!

I knew from day one I had made the best decision in joining InHealth. I love the job, the people and the peace and quiet! Going from working in a room with up to 50 people alongside you, to working solo was a new experience, I thought I'd gone deaf!

I enjoy moving around different units and learning about endoscopy and the processes.

Four months into the role I decided to apply for a regional lead role, which would mean me taking more responsibility for staff, rotas, ordering, audits etc.

I was thrilled to be offered one of the positions, and started in June 2023.

I am obviously still learning as I go along, but am thrilled that my experience has been acknowledged, and recognised, and my managers have faith in me.

I am excited for the future, and have plenty of ideas to further improve a great place to work."