On National Nurses’ Day, May 12th 2016, there was another splendid Graduation Ceremony in the Concert Room of St Georges Hall. This time it was cohort 3 who were receiving their Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen Hospital badges and certificates on completion of the programme of accreditation to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by the Trust.
Chief Nurse, Lisa Grant explained that the programme had recently been recognised by NICE and they are keen to see it used more widely by other hospitals in the future. It has already been extended to dental nurses and allied health professionals within RLBUHT and quite a number of these staff were also there to receive their badges and certificates.
There was certainly a feeling of real pride in achieving the badge, from the 260 staff present, and once again members of the LRI Nurses’ League were recognised for their contribution to nursing in Liverpool as seven of them received an honorary badge.
Susie Overill gave an excellent inspirational talk about her own experiences of training and working in the 60’s and 70’s, and the differences in opportunities and in the approach to health care now. She captured the times we all remember perfectly and had everyone laughing about the lengths we went to in order to escape being caught creeping in and out of the hospital after 10pm! Her theme was echoed by Jill Pope, a Clinical Physiotherapist Specialist, who had trained in the RLH Hospital College in the early 70’s, and is about to retire after 40 years service in the NHS. She remembered her days in training when the students were more interested in gazing through the window to watch the builders working on the new hospital, rather than on the lectures in physiology!
The morning ended with the hospital choir performing four rousing songs and then it was time to disperse and chat to old friends. Our little group had a most enjoyable time, and we all felt it was a privilege to be included and to be considered as part of RLBUHT.
Carolyn Rankine
May 2016