Kerry’s story
"I am inspired to improve the lives of those who are disadvantaged or who have experienced trauma and inequality."
In my current role as Clinical Service Manager for Children’s Health Services in South Ayrshire, I oversee health visiting, school nursing and immunisation services. No two days are the same, which I enjoy, but my work typically involves service delivery meetings, supporting team leaders with operational management, and planning service improvement and development. I also work closely with NHS and Health and Social Care Partnership colleagues to meet the needs of our local communities.
I completed a degree in Environmental Studies at university but was unfulfilled in my job. When I started looking for other vocations, I was drawn to nursing and the opportunity to work with vulnerable communities. I loved my adult nursing training and continue to be very proud to be a nurse and work for the NHS. I am inspired to improve the lives of those who are disadvantaged or who have experienced trauma and inequality. I am passionate about building a workforce for the future, and providing nursing students with the best experiences, as well as promoting the NHS as a viable career option for the future.
A good day for me is one where I can connect with others, inspire them to go on and do great things! I am keen to build innovation and quality improvement capacity in teams, to encourage ownership over testing new ways of working. I support my team to develop and build their skills in leadership and management for their own career development. A good day would also involve connecting with my team informally – we love going for lunch – to problem solve, prioritise and share ideas and support each other.
Completing my PhD research degree is one of my proudest achievements and being able to bring that research into my daily role and implement it into practice with my colleagues has been a really proud experience for me. Working hard to support others and delivering key services to families is what keeps me motivated; knowing we do this well, and receiving feedback from families who are happy with the services they have received is a great reward for myself and the operational teams. I aspire to be the best I can be, and push others to do the same. I would say to anyone considering nursing or midwifery to go for it – it offers so many opportunities and rewards. It’s not easy but I believe it’s the best profession to be a part of.
Read all Humans of Scotland stories here.
In connection with Humans of Scotland, the ALLIANCE Person Centred Voices team launched a short film. In it, we hear from some of the incredible nurses and midwives we’ve had the honour of meeting over the years. This film is a celebration of person centred care, professional pride, and the human connections that sit at the heart of nursing and midwifery. You can watch the film here.
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