Kim Steele

Making a difference

I joined Swindon CAMHS and the NHS 5 years ago as I wanted a career move into something where I could make a difference, feel valued and get a better work-life balance.

That is exactly what I found working for CAMHS. The role is varied, sometimes challenging but always rewarding.

A great team

Working as part of a close-knit team where administrators are as valued and respected as the clinicians, there is never a dull moment.

The role involves using and maintaining electronic patient records, face to face contact with families, taking and making phone calls to patients, families and other professionals and actioning a wide variety of email tasks, including letter editing, record updating and room bookings.

Hybrid working

The administration team are at the heart of the CAMHS service. In recent years, Oxford Health have been forward thinking in how this service and support can be delivered and there are options for hybrid working, whereby tasks, including phone contact, can still be undertaken from home, as we use softphone technology, so they are really thinking about their staff’s work-life balance.

Career progression

I started as a Band 3 administrator but am currently a Band 5 manager having recently been successful in securing a brand-new role as the Business and Performance Manager for Swindon and Salisbury CAMHS, which I am also proud to say I was influential in creating.

On my journey to this role, I have been working across two roles simultaneously, one being a job share at Band 5, which was my first steps into management with the NHS.

This worked really well, with communication being the key to a successful partnership, including clear division of the tole and responsibilities and a common understanding of how we wanted to shape the team for the future.

Flexible working pattern

In addition, my working pattern means that I work four slightly longer days allowing me to have one shorter day, which contributes to my work-life balance, enabling me to do things that are otherwise often difficult for full time staff to fit in.

Supporting clinicians

My current role is still evolving, but in essence, it is to support the Clinical Team’s Managers with organisational tasks such as PDRs, recruitment progress, ensuring they have access to accurate data and reporting.

This means that I spend time supporting the clinicians with their caseloads, review and create new processes to enable the whole team to work more efficiently.

Supporting improvement

It also gives me the opportunities to network across the whole of BSW and learn more about the differences between service use across BSW.

That is what working for CAMHS can achieve for those who want it; the ability to improve things for all staff members, knowing that your voice is heard and not just listened to.