The Conference and Awards ceremony were held during Cygnet’s first designated Wellbeing Month, and the theme for this year’s conference was Nurse Wellbeing.
We are grateful to the experts in our field who shared their expertise with our 200 delegates.
External Keynote speakers included:
- Patricia Marquis, Executive Director, Royal College of Nursing, addressed the Future of Nursing in the UK
- Professor Irene Gray, Independent Coach, NED Forest Healthcare & Former Chief Nurse, discussed Leadership & Nursing
- Rebecca Burgess-Dawson, National Clinical Lead (Mental Health) South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, covered Mental Health Nursing
- Natasha Bryant, Trust-wide Suicide Prevention Lead, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership, explored Risk Planning Safety Formulation
- Paula McLaren, Senior Nursing Adviser for Advanced Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, talked about Advanced Nursing in the UK
Following a message of thanks to our Nursing Directorate from Cygnet’s Group CEO, Dr Tony Romero, the conference was addressed by Karen Johnson, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President in Behavioural Health, and Valerie Devereaux, Vice President of Nursing and Behavioural Health, from Cygnet’s parent company, Universal Health Services. They discussed the role of the Nurse Practitioner in the United States.
Alongside Jo-Ann McAuliffe, Deputy Director of Nursing, and Vickie Peters, Nurse Director, Social Care, David Wilmott, Director of Nursing, launched our Nursing Strategy 2025 – 2027.
Internal presentations included our key theme of Nurse Wellbeing, which was addressed by Ali Curtis, National Nurse Lead for CAMHS, and Kerry Matthews, Colleague Engagement and Wellbeing Lead.
Hospital Manager, Joshua Tapp, and Ward Manager, Jacinta Fox, from Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke updated delegates on their Quality Improvement project: The Diamond Framework.
Caroline Harris-Birtles, Head of Professional Standards and Practice, and Vickie Peters, Nurse Director, Social Care, discussed the theme of Learning Disability Nursing – Has it Got a Future? with Vicky Sandy-Davis, Lead Nurse Independent Health and Social Care, Royal College of Nursing.
Our breakout sessions explored Management of Personality Disorder, facilitated by Dr Mark Luffingham, Consultant Psychiatrist, Cygnet Alders Clinic, Research in Health and Social Care, with Caroline Harris-Birtles and Management of Epilepsy, led by Vickie Peters, Nurse Director, Social Care.
At 12pm conference delegates stood to observe the two-minute national silence to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day).
During the conference David Wilmott extended a welcome to Cygnet’s incoming Executive Director of Nursing & Quality, Shane Mills, who joins Cygnet on Monday 12th May.
David said: “I am incredibly proud to have led the Nursing Directorate over the past seven years. It has been a privilege to work with so many dedicated, caring and professional colleagues in the directorate, and across Cygnet, during my time here.
“I have seen some excellent examples of the high standard of nursing care being delivered across our services and our nurses should all be immensely proud of the contribution that they have made to our patients, residents and their families.”
Following the conference we held our Nursing Awards, and celebrated our learners with a Graduation Ceremony. We will be sharing details of our Nursing Awards winners tomorrow.
