Nurse appointed Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship
Published 29/10/2023
One of the first nurses ever to join our Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship (WCLTF) programme wants to help reverse the trend of others quitting her profession.
The WCLTF provides training and hands-on experience in clinical leadership and management to develop aspiring clinical leaders of the future for NHS Wales.
Rachel James (pictured above), who is currently the lead practitioner for acute oncology at Swansea Bay University Health Board, said:
“Half of the fellowship is a masterclass in leadership, to develop the brightest leaders of our future, and the other half will involve working on a project with Health Education and Improvement Wales to look at the model of nurse retention across Wales.
“My leadership skills need polishing and I think this is the ideal way to do it – working with like-minded professionals to champion something. It’s really important to try and figure out why our nurse are leaving the profession and how we can keep them.”
The appointment has fully vindicated Rachel’s decision to make a career change in 2008 to become a nurse.
She said: “I came to nursing quite late. I was thirty-three when I qualified. I was an industrial chemist, but I came into nursing to find some personal reward and it was the best thing I ever did.
“I had just got divorced and I had two young children who were three and seven when I started my training. It was hard going but I’m really pleased I did it. I thoroughly enjoy being a nurse every single day.”
Rachel initially went into acute medicine and worked in an Emergency Department before going into oncology six years ago. She also achieved a Chief Nursing Officer’s Award for Excellence last year.
Dr Ian Collings, Direct or Medic Professional Support and Development at Health Education and Improvement Wales, said:
“I am delighted that Rachel is one of two nurses joining our Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship.
“Since Health Education and Improvement Wales was established, we have worked to further develop the programme, which was previously for doctors in training, to become a true multi-professional fellowship.
“In addition to nurses and doctors in training, we have pharmacists, allied health professionals, optometrists and healthcare scientists experiencing the unique opportunity.
“The impact of the fellowship has been astounding with many of our alumni fellows taking on senior NHS leadership roles. I look forward to the programme’s further expansion to other healthcare professionals.”
More information about Health Education and Improvement Wales’ Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship programme.