“We all come to work everyday but sometimes we forget that we are making a difference”
We spoke to Bonnie from the operations team about winning Star of the Month, the work she does and highlights about working at Whipps Cross.
Hi Bonnie, can you tell us more about the work you do at Whipps Cross?
I look after the repatriation of patients in our local communities. For example, if you have a heart attack and you live in Waltham Forest but you have a heart attack in South End we’ll have to send you back to you local hospital for the continuation of care so I manage everyone that comes in and everyone that comes out so it can be quite challenging but that’s part of my new role that I’ve been doing. Since I’ve been in the post, I’ve noticed smoother processes, I’ve been able to build relationships across sites with people which that wasn’t there before and it’s the continuity as well that makes a difference as I’m doing this everyday.
Along with this, I work as a service delivery manager, which basically involves managing the service, escalation, beds, national reporting that we have to do as well as supporting with all the junior doctor strikes that we’ve had over the past few months.
There’s a lot going on behind the scenes in operations that sometimes people don’t realise what the operational side is in a hospital.
How do you feel about the repatriation job that you’ve been doing as a secondment over the past few months?
I’m enjoying it so far, I like a challenge and it’s challenging because you sometimes have to deal with some challenging behaviours, which I understand because people are under pressure and it’s lots going on.
Getting in the post and having the opportunity it’s a big highlight for me. Hopefully I’m making a difference with my work and that’s the most important thing.
How did you start your career in the NHS?
I’ve been at Whipps Cross for about eight years and back then I started in A&E as a receptionist, then I went into operations and been here for some time now.
I worked at a GP practice before joining Whipps so I’ve been in the NHS for some time now.
How do you feel about being named Star of the Month?
I’m chuffed, it’s amazing to get the recognition and I think it’s really good that people get recognised at work.
We all come to work everyday but sometimes we forget that we are making a difference and people sometimes don’t always have the time to say thank you, it’s a very fast pace here that we forget sometimes to say thank you.
Anything that you enjoy the most about working at Whipps?
People here are really friendly, it’s like a little big family, and working across other sites due to my work I don’t always get the same vibe. A lot of people I talk to feel the same way and I really love working here.