Heartbeat July 2020

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Kathleen French | Interim Chief Nurse
Kathleen French, Interim Chief Nurse
This month we say a warm welcome to
our new Interim Chief Nurse, Kathleen
French. She joins us at a critical time and
brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Speaking to Heartbeat, she said: “I am
looking forward to being a part of the Trust.
It’s understandably a worrying time, but I
am ready to take on the challenges we will
undoubtedly face together. I am excited to
meet all of my new colleagues and to get
out and meet all of our nursing colleagues
especially.”
Kathleen has had an impressive career to
date. She told us: “I trained initially as a
registered general nurse specialising in ITU
and renal nursing, but I have worked as a
director and deputy district nurse in various
acute trusts for several years. I have also
worked in a CCG as DDN and in quality
roles as well as within community services.
Most recently, I have worked as a director
In July we say a big hello to our corporate nursing team. Since the retirement
of our former chief nurse, Paula Gardner we have been joined by some new
and not so new faces to lead the corporate nursing team. Please join us in
giving them a warm welcome and congratulating them on their new roles.
of nursing, allied health professional and
psychologist at Black Country Partnership.
During this time the trust achieved a
successful merger with Dudley and Walsall
Partnership Trust and obtained a ‘good’ CQC
rating.”
She added: “I’ve also completed an MBA
from Keele University and more recently,
an MA in Consulting and Leading in
Organisations from Tavistock and Portman
and the University of East London. I’m
keen to work with and develop teams to
continue to improve services for patients and
capture learnings from the recent challenges
presented by COVID 19.”
Be sure to give Kathleen a warm SWB
welcome if you see her out and about.
Sarah Carr-Cave | Deputy Chief Nurse
Sarah Carr-Cave, Deputy Chief Nurse
Sarah Carr-Cave returned to the Trust
in July 2020 as our new Deputy Chief
Nurse.
Sarah began her nursing career in 1990,
completing her nurse training and working
in London before she moved to Birmingham
in 1998. Following relocation, she initially
worked at City Hospital in critical care and
has since worked across the region. From
2005 Sarah has worked in senior nursing
roles, and a corporate governance role,
before joining the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital
as a divisional head of nursing.
Sarah is excited to re-join the Trust and take
on the challenges that her role will bring. She
told us: “I'm passionate about ensuring our
patients receive the highest quality of care
across all areas of the Trust. I look forward to
supporting the Trust preparing to move into
the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital
and delivering the vision for the community
we serve. I am excited to work with nursing
colleagues across the Trust to raise the profile
of nursing and ensure nursing has a voice.”
Outside of work Sarah enjoys spending time
with friends, fine dining and going to the
theatre. She also enjoys gardening, baking
and keeping fit.
Helen Bromage | Associate Chief Nurse
Helen Bromage, Associate Chief Nurse
Whilst you may recognise the face,
the name may sound unfamiliar. This
is because our newest associate chief
nurse has recently got married. Helen
Bromage was indeed Helen Cope until
very recently.
With a new name, a new role and, so much
going on we caught up with Helen to find
out more about her career to date. Helen told
us: “I am a children’s nurse by trade and have
always worked with sick children. I trained in
North West London, qualifying in 2000 and
then I worked as a staff nurse before moving
to Birmingham. I worked at Birmingham’s
Children’s Hospital, where I worked in burns
and plastics before moving into being a
resuscitation officer. In August 2011, I moved
to Sandwell and West Birmingham to take up
the post of lead resuscitation officer, and I’ve
been here ever since.”
“I am excited to take on the role of our
associate chief nurse. Previously I have been
the head of education, and I think looking
at my career so far there have been some
common themes - for example, education,
the deterioration of patients and how we
manage that.
"Since I joined the Trust we have halved the
number of EMRT calls and have an aboveaverage
survival to discharge post-cardiac
arrest. We have increased our student nursing
and midwifery clinical placement provision by
150 per cent. We've also supported some of
the first nursing associates into the workforce
and onto the nursing and midwifery council
register which is a fantastic achievement.
I’m looking forward to building on all of this
in my role as associate chief nurse and look
forward to working with colleagues’ right
across the organisation.”
Speaking of her interests outside of work,
Helen commented: “I have supported the
charity Dreamflight for the past 12 years.
The charity takes 192 children on a trip of a
lifetime to Florida.”
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