Hello my name is…Hayley Wall, Business Support Administrator for Hampshire & Thames Valley (HTV) Clinical Network. In the latest in our ‘Hello my name is’ series of blogs, Hayley shares how her role has changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and tells how she’s still managing to be a social butterfly despite the lockdown.
Tell us about yourself – your name, your role, and a brief description of what you do
My name is Hayley Wall and I am Business Support Administrator for HTV Clinical Delivery Network. I have worked for the NHS for three and half years now. My role is to support network managers within the team with regards to implementing the NHS Long Term Plan at a local level. I’m responsible for ensuring the different networks and their stakeholders meet regularly – this ranges from co-ordinating steering group meetings to large conferences. These are either held internally, externally or more recently making use of the MS Teams meeting space which has proved to be an invaluable tool.
I have also been getting more involved in the Communications space for HTV by encouraging the networks to promote their amazing work and projects via the Wessex Senate website, Twitter and any other social media means possible.
How has your role changed since the beginning of COVID-19?
I volunteered to be redeployed to the South East communications team and it has been a really positive move. I have been supporting them by organising meetings, team calls, getting laptops for new members of staff, and ATOS requests to ensure access to systems is correct. I am also responsible for managing and monitoring the @NHSSouthEast twitter account, posting and sourcing SE internal comms news stories on the hub, as well as the South East newsletter.
Tell us about what you’re doing to support the NHS in dealing with COVID-19 for the benefit of our patients, families and colleagues?
We held the first live MS Teams SE staff briefing for Anne Eden on 17 April. I was one of the producers, we streamed the live event to over 250 colleagues – I’ve never been so nervous, it was a lot of responsibility to ensure all the presenters where on screen at the correct time. However, I couldn’t have done it without the help and support from my Comms teams colleagues. It’s really important to ensure staff and colleagues hear key messages from our SLT in real time.
Who would you like to give a shout out to?
All key workers – you are #covidheroes
Has there been one example or situation since COVID-19 which has made you feel an additional sense of pride in working for the NHS?
I love walking around my neighbourhood and seeing all the rainbow pictures and the amount of people who come out to support #theclapforcarers – I live near the docks in Southampton and even the ships are getting involved and sounding their horns!
What’s your one top tip when remote or home working?
Have a lunch break, away from your laptop. Physically go to a different part of your house if possible, leave all your mobile devices at your desk. I’m lucky enough to have a garden and I make my children join me as well. They do groan, but it means we all have some family time and then get properly re-fuelled.
How has your work pattern and ways of working altered since you’ve been working from home, and how do you now work alongside and catch up with colleagues?
It did take me a while to settle into working from home, it’s not something that I did all that often. I like being in the office and with my colleagues, I’m a bit of a social butterfly, but you learn to adapt and find resilience if you look hard enough. Some days you have to look really hard, and if you can’t find it there is always tomorrow to reset and restart!
Within the Comms team, we meet regularly throughout the day on MS Teams to ensure everyone is aware of key issues and priorities and within the HTV team they hold a virtual coffee/social meet up a couple of times a week. It’s great to catch up with different members of the team especially if someone drops in who you haven’t seen in a while if they have been redeployed to another part of the NHS. We talk all things COVID of course, you can’t escape it, but also share lots of laughs as well.
Do you have a personal NHS story you’d like to share?
I’ve two children aged nine and six, one natural birth and one who was born at 35 weeks via emergency C-section – so I have a lot of love for the Princess Anne in Southampton.
What would your colleagues be surprised to discover about you?
I’m a salsa dancer! I’ve been learning to dance for over three years and love it. I miss dancing terribly and for some reason my children don’t want to be my dance partner! I was lucky enough to go to Malta with friends in February for my birthday and even tracked down a salsa club there.
What book are you reading at the moment?
The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary by Catherine Gray.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Be present.
