NHS 75 Staff Stories: Lynne Gunns
Lynne Gunns - Clinical Reviewing Practitioner
How long have you been in the NHS?
I have worked in the NHS since 21 December 1987, which is 35 and a half years!
Why did you choose to work in the NHS?
I wanted to train to be a mental health nurse when I left school but, unfortunately, I never had a reply from my application, so I went to college instead.
In 1987 at aged 19, I got an admin job in the School Health Department in the NHS, and then in 1998 I went back to my calling and trained to be a mental health nurse. I have to say that I have never regretted my decision because, although there have been many challenges along the way, I still believe that mental health nursing is the best job in the world.
The highlight of my career was working in the Early Intervention in Psychosis team (North Warwickshire & Rugby), as in this team you can actually see that you are making a difference to people’s lives every day, and that is so satisfying and rewarding.
Describe your role in 100 words.
My current role in the Clinical Reviewing Team involves working with patients who require particular funded packages of care, to enable and facilitate their recovery from severe mental illness. It involves working together with other organisations and professionals to ascertain an individual’s needs, through careful collaboration and discussion. This work covers all parts of the patient journey to their optimum level of mental health and wellbeing, in the hope that they will eventually live independently or with a small package of care in their own homes.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The best part of the role is always spending time with patients and listening to their views (where possible) and liaising with their carers/family members about their needs. In doing so, I find ways to improve their lives by making alterations to their care package to improve their wellbeing and quality of life. I like to assist patients to make goals and then apply for the relevant care package funding to help them achieve this. Sometimes this involves a need for additional funding or sometimes a reduced care package is needed as their mental health and wellbeing improves.
Describe your favourite memory of working at CWPT in 100 words.
In my 35+ years of working in the NHS, there have been so many wonderful people, too many to name, but by far the best memories are those where I have bumped into patients on the street and they introduced me to their companion/loved ones and spoken positively about the care that I gave them when they needed it most. Hearing of their achievements and progress since discharge (which may simply be remaining out of hospital or not being under MH services now) is when I get the best feeling of job satisfaction and I know I am in the right job.
It must be said that not all experiences in mental health nursing are good ones, but when a bereft mother thanks you for everything you did for their loved one at their funeral, it hits home that, despite the worst possible outcome imaginable, you are noted for doing your best as a nurse.
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