NCA celebrates its nurses on Nurses Day

Sue Anderton, Divisional Director of Nursing at Rochdale Care Organisation

The Northern Care Alliance NHS Group is shining a light on its nurses and all they have achieved during the pandemic for International Nurses Day (Wednesday 12 May).

During the pandemic nurses and care workers in all parts of the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) have adapted to working in new ways at pace. For example, many nurses were moved to different wards or locations to help support and care for patients suffering from Covid-19.

Since the pandemic began, the NCA has treated and discharged over 4,867 Covid-19 patients to their usual place of residence. Broken down, that number equates to 1,494 patients in Salford, 1,930 in Oldham, 1,248 in Bury, and 195 in Rochdale.

Libby McManus, Chief Nursing Officer at the NCA, which brings together the Salford Royal and Pennine Acute trusts, said: “Across the NCA, we are saying a massive ‘thank you’, not only to our nursing workforce, but to all those who have stepped up to help during the pandemic, been redeployed into other roles, or who have kept the wheels turning behind the scenes in roles such as estates, laundry and admin.

“We are rightly proud of each and every one of our NCA Family. Our nursing workforce is some of the best in the country and it’s not just us that think so – our patient feedback also shows us this is what our patients and service users believe too.”

Sue Anderton is Divisional Director of Nursing at Rochdale Care Organisation and played a key role in remodelling Rochdale Infirmary as a ‘green site,’ which means there are no Covid-19 patients operated on in theatres there.

This meant that the hospital could take on as many essential operations, including cancer surgery, as possible to assist other hospitals who needed to postpone surgery whilst they battled the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sue said: "Covid-19 has taught me to value what I have. It’s made me so proud to be a nurse, working alongside my team, and giving me the ability to give something back. The team have been incredible. They’ve done everything they can to help the situation, and a little bit more. I’m honoured to work alongside them.

“By carrying on with a lot of the urgent cancer treatment here in Rochdale, we’ve been able to help patients who have been very frightened about not receiving treatment during the pandemic, and we’ve been able to help and make a real difference to their lives.”