Janet Leer
Lisa Morris, Clinic Manager, Southport Dialysis Unit, Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services
The thing I love about my job is coming to work in a light, spacious, purpose built dialysis unit.
My role involves a combination of clinical duties, administrative tasks and people management. We have built a competent, pleasant team of dialysis nurses with differing backgrounds and levels of experience, but similar ethics, standards and enthusiasm which means we offer, a safe, optimal dialysis service to each individual patient, in a pleasant, calm environment.
The happy atmosphere generated by the nursing staff is reflected in the patients. Although no one wants to have to dialysis three times a week, the procedure is made more tolerable when dialysing in a calm, comfortable and safe environment, with competent, motivated staff.
I quite enjoy the routine that being a clinic manager offers, I know what is expected, yet still enjoy the odd challenge asked of me.
Something that gives me job satisfaction is being able to encourage and support my staff to develop to their full potential, and having my own skills recognised and rewarded.
I also enjoy networking with other clinic managers, supporting each other and learning together.
A typical week
I cycle to work and arrive between 7 & 8 am and leave between 4.30 & 6.30 pm depending on the day; say hello to my colleagues, switch on the 12 dialysis machines, line and prime the machines, prepare for when the patients arrive. We have a morning & afternoon shift at Southport, although some units also have a twilight.
We then make sure the patients are comfortable for their dialysis session, and catch up with what’s been going on.
I'll work on my admin until patients' treatment ends, then I’ll go back out to the treatment room help the nurses get the patients off the machines, then we prepare for next shift.
My role also includes day-to-day staff management including job interviews, staff appraisals, as well as monthly staff meetings to chair. I enjoy supporting staff with various educational modules, and assignments.
We closely monitor patient satisfaction levels and measure treatment outcomes against renal standards. These results are reported to the NHS parent unit where I attend monthly Directorate and Infection Control meetings. I also attend a monthly ‘Local Business Review’ with my Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services Regional Manager at the unit, to ensure every thing is running smoothly.
I ensure I attend to any Health and Safety and Quality Management issues, this is essential as we always need to be prepared for Care Quality Commission inspections and independent audits.
There are many phone calls to deal with, and monthly water samples to take. We are in the process of working towards ISO 14001 Environmental accreditation, so there is monthly collecting and recording of data. I also ensure that the current ISO 9001 procedures at my clinic are kept up to date.
Gemma Priest, Registered General Nurse, Bassetlaw Dialysis Unit, Fresenius Medical Care Medical Care Renal Services
I have worked for Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services for about four months now as a RGN. Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services offer excellent training packages, incentives and a competitive salary.
I really enjoy my role because it has presented new challenges, not just in clinical skills but in the use of the state-of-the-art dialysis machines, dealing with patients who have a chronic illness and working in an out-patients setting. The clinic is new and is purpose built too, so we have excellent facilities.
At Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services they really offer you the right support in order to make sure you have the right skills that are necessary in order to carry out your job. This involves a comprehensive induction programme where I was able to work in another clinic in order to establish how the unit ran under the guidance and mentorship of specialist trainers. I have also completed various e-learning packages to enhance my learning and development.
I definitely feel that Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services will offer me the right support in order to further my career; there have been discussions of possible training (including formal qualifications) from the start.
The shifts fit in with your home life and offer more sociable hours and working days, and there are no shifts through the night or Sunday working which is great.
Kathryn Miller, Contracts Co-ordinator Head Office, Huthwaite, Fresenius Medical Care
I have worked within the contracts department, based at our Head Office in Huthwaite, for almost nine years as a Contracts Co-ordinator. My role involves supporting the field teams and I also work closely with my customer care colleagues.
A key part of my role is to make sure all contract information is monitored regularly by using our contracts log. This is updated on a daily basis to ensure all contract information is accurate and kept up to date. This ensures that when we are awarded contracts, they will run in line with tenders on the log and if there are any anomalies, these will be acted upon immediately.
I am responsible for monitoring, collating and submitting tenders and contracts for the organisation to the NHS. You quickly build up your knowledge of our products and how the NHS operates and tenders include dialysis products and home delivery services. As you can imagine good organisational skills and attention to detail are an essential part of my role.
I enjoy the satisfaction of completing a tender knowing that I have put it together. I enjoy my position with Fresenius Medical Care and also my like the interaction with my colleagues. Each day brings a different challenge and I thrive on completing these to the best of my ability.