60 seconds with Jan Ross
Jan Ross, chief executive of The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, on seizing opportunities and what she is looking forward to most at Nursing Live 2024.
Jan Ross, chief executive, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Register for your free ticket and join us at the ACC in Liverpool on 23-24 October, 2024. Take a look at the event agenda and plan your visit to Nursing Live 2024.
What do you enjoy most in your current role and why?
As chief executive of a small specialist trust I enjoy being close to the front line of patient treatment and care. I trained as a nurse and spent 20+ years in nursing before moving over to operational management. I am still very much a nurse at heart, so I enjoy speaking with patients and our amazing staff, listening to them and seeing their pride at the treatment and care we provide.
Can you tell us about one of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your career?
It’s probably the same as everyone else working in the NHS – the massive increase in volume and complexity of patients. When I started my career in 1992, I couldn’t have imagined the cases we are seeing in 2024. The NHS is such a fantastic organisation and something we can all still be very proud of, but it’s a challenge every day to try and provide everyone with the level of care they need and deserve.
What advice would you give to newly qualified nurses?
My advice would be to take every available opportunity and learn as much as you can – there’s so many aspects of nursing and different types of careers available… something for everyone. Always remember the impact you have not just on individuals but also their family, friends and loved ones; they will remember how you made them feel forever.
If you were the next health minister, what would you tackle first and why?
The pathway between social care and the NHS. We have patients who are medically fit but unable to leave hospital as the suitable social care support isn’t in place, whether that’s home care or a rehabilitation or care facility. Social care needs a lot more investment to ensure patients leave hospital and continue to receive the best and most appropriate care, and return to work or family life if possible. We can then also get more people into hospital and just improve the general speed of receiving treatment. I would also focus on improving access to nurse training. I worry that people with the right skills are put off applying because they see nursing as academic.
What are you looking forward to at Nursing Live this year?
It’s always great hearing the different experiences of nurses – from the newly qualified to nurses towards the end of their careers. There’s always something you can learn and take back to your teams for improvements. Plus, it’s always nice to catch up with fellow nurses and share stories! It’s an event that fills you with pride and hope.
Jan Ross is chairing the following session on Wednesday 23 October:
Senior Leaders Panel - Personal stories of how and why we are in this job