NHS Hero – Wanika Simpson
February 1, 2018
Our organisation is full of remarkable, motivated people, who give a lot to the communities we serve. Since 2014, we have been recognising our quiet heroes who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and do a wide variety of jobs across our Trust. Each week we shine a spotlight on one of those heroes, and following an interview by our press office the Sandwell Chronicle publishes these inspirational stories.
Today, the spotlight is on Wanika Simpson, a Healthcare Assistant currently working as co-ordinator for the advanced discharge planning (ADaPT) team at City Hospital.
A beaming smile is what you’re met with when you first meet Wanika. She delights in coming to work and absolutely enjoys helping patients and families who come through the acute medical unit (AMU).
“I have been doing this role for a few months and I feel so lucky to be part of the team,” she smiled. “I started working on AMU in 2011 as a healthcare assistant. I have always felt part of the team, my role, which involved morning washes, updating daily care records, doing the tea rounds and helping with general patient care, made me feel I was contributing to the patient’s journey to recovery.
“When I was approached to take on this position it came at a time when I was ready to take on a new challenge. I feel privileged to be part of the team that includes social services, an AMU nurse, lead dementia nurse, rapid response therapist and myself as the ADaPT co-ordinator.”
The ADaPT team work to ensure patients are reviewed within 24 hours of admission. In order to highlight patients that require advanced discharge planning, the team meet every week day at noon with huddles taking place simultaneously at City and Sandwell.
Wanika chairs the ADaPT huddles at City when she takes the team through all the admissions ensuring there is a plan in place for anyone who needs social care or safeguarding.
She added: “The ADaPT huddles take place after the board round on AMU. Everyone in the team has the opportunity to input with the aim of getting the right care and support for each patient.
“Some of our patients have complex medical and social care requirements, it is my responsibility to follow these patients through when they are admitted to the ward, to ensure they get the care they need right through to discharge.
“It helps to work in a multi-professional way as we can help each other to expedite a patient’s care; for instance if they need to go into a care home or require further support via the homeless team. I also make Making Every Contact Count (MECC) referrals for alcohol and smoking. I see my role as assisting the nursing team as they are able to have more time to care for the patients.
“One case that particularly resonates is when a deaf lady came in with all her property. I tried to get to the bottom of why she had brought in all personal belongings, so I contacted her landlord. I also spoke to the homeless team who informed me she had been previously discharged from Rowley Regis Hospital to her new accommodation. It transpired that she didn’t like where she was living so she just took her things came to the hospital. After speaking to various services, I managed to get her into a temporary accommodation she was happy with.
“I think the ADaPT team are doing a brilliant job. It’s a great feeling to go home knowing you have helped someone. We are giving families piece of mind.”
Wanika is currently completing her NVQ level 2 in healthcare. She said: “I am so excited about completing the qualification; I would definitely like to learn and train more in order to develop my career.”
Wanika comes from a line of nurses and always knew she wanted to care for people when she got older. “I guess it was always going to be a natural progression for me. I love my job and look forward to coming in every day.”
In her spare time, Wanika loves to spend time with her two year old daughter. “My little girl is my life. We have fantastic girly times together – going for long walks, swimming and making fairy cakes!”
Talking of heroes, who is Wanika most inspired by? “My mom,” she said. “She is my inspiration and has always encouraged me to do better than her. I want to pass that on to my daughter too.”