Croydon's excellent NHS staff on TV
This week and next week (11-25 November) frontline health workes from our Croydon Health Services are appearing in TV advertisements on ITV, Channel 4 and many other outlets, alongside staff from several other Trusts.
We were chosen by NHS England to take part in its 'We are the NHS' campaign and highlight fantastic career opportunities at the NHS.
It was a great opportunity to showcase the dedication and professionalism of our own staff and those across the country.
The campaign aims to increase applications for both degree courses and direct entry jobs, seeking to build upon the existing 1.2 million-strong workforce and to shine a light on the incredible work they do.
In the current version of the advert (there will be others) you can see Magdalena Czerepak (Healthcare Assistant), Kenneth Napalit (Charge Nurse and Ward Manager) and Charlotte Parkhouse (Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist and Early Years Cluster Lead at Leander Road). See below for Kenneth and Charlotte's feedback on taking part and on what makes their work special.
We want to say a big thank you to NHS England for this opportunity and to all our excellent staff who took part.
Kenneth Napalit – Charge Nurse and Ward Manager
Kenneth Napalit has worked at Croydon University Hospital for five years.
His role helps to ensure the hospital provides great care during even the busiest times:
“I work in the escalation ward, which helps during emergencies and busy periods, so it can be challenging.”
Working at the coalface of NHS care provides a lot of diversity:
“What I like about my job is the learning I get from different patients, staff and professionals. Staff from different wards, bank and agency give their input and suggestions to improve the service. Consultants and doctors from different specialities come and review their patients.”
It also gives a lot of opportunities for progress:
“I worked in private healthcare before I joined the NHS, and it’s certainly clear that the NHS looks after its staff and gives us opportunities to develop our careers. I should say that I also enjoy the discounts and benefits that NHS staff get from different companies!”
Kenneth is very pleased to have been involved in the recruitment campaign:
“I feel privileged that I was involved in the recruitment campaign, especially as it’s a nationwide advert. The filming process was intense. I was walking and looking at a CT scan, pushing a wheelchair with patient and pushing a bed like there was an emergency. We tried a lot of shots.”
Charlotte Parkhouse – Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist and Early Years Cluster Lead
Charlotte Parkhouse works at our busy and diverse Leander Road community site in Croydon.
She had a great experience working at our Trust and returned:
“I came back to Croydon Health Services after working here about 20 years ago. I liked it so much I had to return to this wonderful team! I have worked for the NHS for about 10 years in total in my career.”
Working in Speech and Language Therapy develops a wide range of knowledge:
“A typical day would involve doing an in-depth Initial Assessment for a child with severe and complex Autism and then sharing the outcomes with Paediatricians and Special Educational Needs Team. I also regularly train other professionals about using specific communication interventions, as well as Eating and Drinking Difficulties.”
Charlotte is keen to highlight the strong creative aspect in Speech and Language Therapy:
“I like my job because I love thinking of creative ways to support children with the most complex social communication difficulties. We are able to inspire parents, nurseries and schools to make their homes and settings more supportive to children with these difficulties, and often the simples of our recommendations can make the biggest difference. The NHS supports us to work creatively too.”
The job often helps children get care earlier:
“Often we are the first professional to identify why a child is struggling, so it can be very satisfying to help families to understand and help their child.”
Charlotte is excited to be part of the recruitment campaign:
“I'm passionate about my profession, and this exciting recruitment campaign helps to share it with the nation. The filming process was a delight to participate in. The two children were brilliant at trying out all of my suggestions for the filming and I really enjoyed the morning.”