Jo joined in Feb 22, prior to which, the decision to open a TAA at the Leicester General Hospital(LGH)  as part of reconfiguration had been made.

Jo was instrumental in introducing a completely new model of admitting elective surgical patients into LGH, which threw up many challenges for her from the MDT as it involved major changes. She inherited staff who had gone through MoCs, but her positive attitude and continual reassurance that everything would be okay have brought it the success that it now has. 

Her commitment to her team is evident when staff talk about her. Her reputation precedes her, as she has a waiting list of staff who would like to join the team. Jo is an inclusive leader and encourages staff to bring patient improvement ideas forward. She supports her team with “month focus,” where staff provide training and updates; one such focus month was around patient experience. 

Staff produced a patient survey, implemented it, analyzed the results and produced a “You said we did” board and made the recommended changes. This is just one example of how Jo’s leadership empowers her team not only to improve the patients experience but also that of their own.

Being a visible leader with a cross site service is always challenging, but she manages this exceptionally well and when talking with staff they always know where she is and how to get hold of her if needed. The feedback is that the team feels valued, cared for, and above all respected, and in return, they are 100% committed to their patients and TAA family but also to Jo. Jo's unfailing commitment to her patients and staff is exceptional, especially for someone who is new to a leadership role, and for this reason, I feel she is a true DAISY Nurse Leader, even though she would just say, “It’s my job.”