We’re creating a series of articles to introduce you to a range of colleagues, showing how our varied teams and colleagues work and fit into the way DHU approaches patient care.
Here, we shine the spotlight on Kirsty Osborn, our Deputy Director for Urgent Care in Derbyshire. Her role is to lead the Urgent Care team within Derbyshire, supporting the team to provide high quality care to patients and develop our services further.
Kirsty has been at DHU Healthcare for 14 years. She joined DHU in August 2008 as a Nurse Practitioner having previously worked as a nurse in a number of roles and specialties.
Kirsty said: “I’ve found DHU to be place where you can learn and grow within healthcare. I was supported to gain experience and qualifications in order to become a Senior Nurse Practitioner. I also undertook a role in the training team before moving into operational and leadership roles.
“As Deputy Director, everyday is different and there is always a challenge to resolve. I spend time working with the wider teams within DHU reviewing, monitoring and developing our services. I attend various internal and external meetings. I work from both Ashgate Manor in Chesterfield and the Johnson Building in Derby, so as you can imagine I spend plenty of time travelling.
“I enjoy the people I work with, whether this is part of my immediate team or someone I chat to making a cup of tea. My work is always varied, although sometimes it would be nice to have a quiet and dull day! I am still able to work clinically and this is key for me to be able to maintain my skills as a Practitioner and work with patients, which is what I trained to do. Being able to work clinically also gives me insight into how the team work and their challenges. Over the past two years during COVID I have swabbed, vaccinated and cannulated amongst many skills, new and old.
“My proudest moment is our response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a team, at short notice and under pressure, we mobilised swabbing services, red hubs and visiting services, antibody testing, supported vaccinations in care homes and to the housebound and have been able to provide for our most vulnerable patients with life-saving treatments.
“If I were to to give anyone any advice it would be that life is short, so make sure that you enjoy what you do, appreciate your family and friends, and take every opportunity to make memories.”
Thanks to Kirsty for telling us about her role and keep your eyes peeled for DHU’s next #WhatDoYouDo.
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