I am a Head of Nursing for Learning Disability services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, a post I have held for the past 2 years. My current role also includes me being the Head of Nursing for Substance Misuse Services.
Nichaela Jones - Support Worker to Head of Nursing
Prior to becoming the Head of Nursing, I worked in various roles including as a healthcare support worker, working with people with learning disabilities in a long stay hospital from the age of 17 years, and also working with people with learning disabilities in community settings, before I went to do my learning disability nurse training in 2003.
From this time I have continued to have the pleasure of working in various roles and in a range of community, domiciliary care and inpatient settings within the NHS.
Since I started my career, working with people with learning disabilities, I have always wanted to become a nurse. Unfortunately, I did not have the appropriate qualifications to apply initially. But with hard work, I achieved the level 3 National Vocational qualification which enabled me to then apply and then there was no turning back.
I completed my degree in 2006 and have since completed my Masters in Educational Studies in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
I am lucky to have extremely supportive colleagues and peers, and have had strong role models and mentors throughout my career who have guided, supported and enabled me to progress within my career.
Within Learning Disability services we have a strong ethos of working as part of a wider senior leadership team. This includes a Head of Operations, a Clinical Director, a Consultant Psychologist, and Clinical Operation Managers.
My role is diverse and covers 6 Regional Counties across North Wales where we have strong relationships and work in partnership with the Local Authorities.
More recently during the pandemic, my role has evolved into a flurry of video calls and less face to face contact. In my role, I am primarily responsible for ensuring we provide quality, effective and safe services for both our staff and the people we support.
The most rewarding part of my role is receiving feedback from service users and engaging with the people we support. As with any role there are challenges aligned to ensuring people with a learning disability get the equal services that they deserve.
We continue to support the voice of the people we support every day to ensure they get the right services, at the right time with the right support.
Being a learning Disability Nurse is one of the most diverse and rewarding career choices anyone can ever make. I definitely count myself extremely lucky to have been able to have a career working with some of the most amazing people in our society, and alongside like minded colleagues who are passionate and extremely dedicated.