Healthcare Support Workers - Sarah's story
Sarah has been a Healthcare Support Worker with Solent since the start of 2019. Prior to her current role, as a specialist Children’s Nursing Support Worker at Battenburg Children’s Centre in Portsmouth, she worked in London as a Community Nursery Nurse. Taking career breaks to have children and support her family, Sarah has worked directly in education as a Teaching Assistant and for other NHS Trusts.
In her current role, Sarah supports both the School Nursing Team and our Health Visiting Team in Portsmouth. Her role is extremely demanding but incredibly rewarding, taking all her skills as a healthcare professional and her teaching experience with children to ensure that our youngest service users get the most from their appointments and treatments.
Talking about her varied role, Sarah said: “I love that I get to support children regardless of their medical condition, be it with play therapy or with psychological support and preparation before a medical procedure. I’m there to empower the child, give them a voice and limit their exposure to hospital where possible. Home is definitely best!”
Sarah has benefitted from support to extend her personal qualifications and is currently exploring a health play specialist foundation degree and Solent’s Apprenticeship offer, with a view to boosting her career as her family grows up.
Sarah added: “If you really enjoy making a difference to an ill or terminally ill child, the work is incredibly rewarding. Healthcare support workers are now being seen for the true professionals we are, and I love my job!”