ANN SAN Community Matron and

Staff Governor

I come from a long line of nurses and left a job in Littlewoods at 29 to follow in their footsteps.

One of my early jobs was in intensive care. I’d never seen a ventilator before and I thought, ‘what have I done’? However, it proved to be a fantastic career move; I went on to become a manager on a large surgical ward, managing both staff and clinical work. I loved it, but I missed working with patients.

I was one of the first community matrons back in 2005. We had close links with GPs and hospitals. It meant we could intervene early to help patients with chronic conditions manage their care at home. Two decades later I’m still as passionate and proud of this achievement.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A GOVERNOR?

I saw first hand the effect of the pandemic on colleagues. Experienced nurses were cracking under the strain, or leaving the profession due to the stress of looking after extremely sick patients. Nurses are there to reassure patients, but they too felt very vulnerable and scared.

As an experienced nurse I felt we needed a voice. Someone to question and be curious. I never shy away from awkward situations, and if I feel something isn’t right, I will always ask the question no matter how awkward it may be.

After I became a Governor, my daughter died after battling breast cancer for five years. She was 41, a mum, a child protection social work manager and my best friend. Words can’t describe how much I miss her. The care my daughter received was exceptional. It’s always an honour to support patients and families and a privilege when they want you to be there. To then witness this care and treatment for my own daughter is something that will always stay with me.

I thought the experience might take away my passion and commitment as a nurse, but in fact it’s made me more determined to be a voice for nurses and my patients.

Annual General Meeting

Thursday 21 September 2023

1.30 to 3pm, Aintree Racecourse.

The Annual General Meeting is a great opportunity for you to find out more about our Trust, including our achievements and challenges, as well as our Annual Report and Accounts from last year. If you would like to join us please register your attendance by emailing: AGM2023@merseycare.nhs.uk