60 seconds with Helen Munday SBH
What's your job title?
I am the new Matron for cardiothoracic surgery and respiratory medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital. I started in November, having moved from Royal Papworth Hospital.
Tell us about your career background...
I trained in London back in the 80s. Barts was actually the first hospital I came to for an interview for student nurse training when I was 17! However, I decided to train at Guy’s Hospital. Once I had qualified, I stayed at Guy's and worked in the A&E.
After A&E I moved to a surgical ward at Watford General Hospital before going on to Harefield Hospital to do what was the ENB249 cardiothoracic nursing course. That was where I discovered my love of cardiothoracic critical care nursing, both at Harefield and then later at Papworth Hospital, which is where I have spent the last thirty years in a variety of roles – critical care, research, practice development and latterly as Trust Matron.
What attracted you to this new role at St Bartholomew's?
A change! Thirty years is a long time in one place and this opportunity came up and was perfect in every way.
What does your new role involve?
Providing support and leadership to the ward managers to ensure that our patients receive safe and effective high quality care.
What do you like most about the role?
There are so many things but personal interactions, whether it is with patients and their families, or colleagues, that bring about delivering shared goals.
In what way does what you do help patients?
What we all do as a team is what helps patients, so I am really excited to be joining the 4th floor team and learning together how we can make even more improvements for the benefit of our patients.
What’s your proudest career achievement?
Goodness, so hard to pick just one! Possibly getting my first Sisters post in Critical Care at Papworth – that was pretty special; and standing on the steps of the Royal Albert Hall after my Masters graduation!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Developing a new service in the face of massive resistance from all quarters; but 10 years on, the service has grown and is a real success story.
How would you spend an ideal day off?
Outside - running, cycling and walking.
Tell us something surprising about yourself...
I climbed Kilimanjaro earlier this year! It was a long held ambition of mine, so to finally get there was fantastic!