Kate Pontin is the Project Lead for the Willow Therapy Unit, a soon-to-open, start-of-the-art therapy unit based at Norwich Community Hospital. Ahead of a recruitment open day, she explains why this new facility is so important for the health of Norfolk – and why she loves living and working in the county
I’m proud to work at Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C). We’re a community NHS trust, responsible for delivering care to people all over Norfolk. We have several small community hospitals where we treat both inpatients and outpatients, and our community nurses and clinicians also look after people in their own homes and care homes. A big part of our work involves working with patients to make sure they’re well enough to live independently at home, or to leave hospital sooner.
As an Operational Director, I manage the strategy and operations of several teams to ensure we’re delivering the best possible care for the people of Norfolk.
One of my main projects currently is getting NCH&C’s new Willow Therapy Unit ready to open. This modular build is currently being built 200+ miles away, ready for installation at our site on Bowthorpe Road. Focusing on exercise and rehabilitation, this new unit will use cutting-edge technologies and therapies to get patients well enough to return home following a stay in an acute hospital. As well a gym and therapy spaces, there’s even a kitchen where patients can make their own drinks and snacks, encouraging them to build up strength and get back into their normal routine.
I’m from Lancashire originally but have lived in Norwich for 20 years this year. I started my working-life in Norwich at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) as an Occupational Therapist (OT).
OTs work with patients to overcome their health challenges so they can complete their everyday tasks and activities. This could be by offering mobility aids or adaptions to their home, by teaching them new skills, or developing alternative techniques that make those everyday tasks simpler to complete.
I began my working life in a large hospital, which allowed me to experience occupational therapy in lots of different disciplines, like burns, plastics, and prosthetics. However, I was passionate about helping people at home. Since home is where we spend most of our time, I felt strongly that was where I should be working with my patients. I started working as an OT in North Norfolk and have been with NCH&C ever since.
With all our loved ones based up North, moving down to Norfolk was a big decision. Eventually we decided that the only real thing missing from Norwich was rugged terrain and hill sports – and we could get those elsewhere! I found work as an OT at the NNUH, and we decided to stay for good. We love the proximity of the city and the countryside – I’m a real outdoorswoman, so there’s nothing better than escaping to Norfolk’s beautiful countryside. Of course, there’s plenty to enjoy in Norwich, too. We love all that the Fine City has to offer, including its restaurants, pubs, and cultural events.
Like the NHS everywhere, our teams are doing amazing things despite working under real pressure at times. Norfolk’s geography also provides its own challenges. Recruitment can be particularly tricky in some of our rural coastal communities due to a lack of transport links, social mobility, and affordable housing. Norfolk also has a unique picture of health inequalities and an aging population.
Many of the issues being tackled in Norfolk’s NHS are national priorities: improving access to services, including dentists and GP appointments, and reducing ambulance wait times. The people of Norfolk seem to be naturally resourceful and creative, and that extends to the NHS too. NCH&C works closely with the council and the county’s other NHS trusts to find innovative ways to improve care for our patients. In late 2023, NCH&C was part of the county’s rollout of Shared Care Record, which allows the NHS and social care to share important information like patient notes and test results. We also launched Community Virtual Ward, a new initiative that uses digital technology to allow patients to receive hospital monitoring and treatment at home, to prevent avoidable admissions to hospital.
Norfolk’s NHS is a great place for anyone who wants a rewarding career with plenty of autonomy, flexibility, and access to high-quality training. Our apprenticeship pathways also help make NHS careers accessible to individuals who don’t want to go to university. We have many colleagues at NCH&C who have joined in entry-level healthcare roles and completed apprenticeships to become a registered nurse or healthcare professional, without ever taking time out from earning to go to university. And remember, the NHS isn’t just for clinical jobs. We rely on our support services colleagues in disciplines like HR, IT, Finance, and Communications.
Opening in Spring 2024, the Willow Therapy Unit will be a start-of-the-art new therapy unit based at Norwich Community Hospital on Bowthorpe Road. Staff will use cutting-edge technology and the latest therapeutic practices to help patients get strong enough to return home, following a stay in acute hospital. The new unit will be an important resource for helping the people of Norfolk stay well and in their own homes. Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) is holding a recruitment open day for healthcare professionals, and those who want to get started on their healthcare career journey. Friday 23 February, 9:30am–4pm, at The King’s Centre, Norwich, NR1 1PH. The informal drop-in event is for anyone who wants to find out more about working at the new unit. Attendees will also be supported to complete job applications in person, and complete interviews on the day if they wish. NCH&C is hiring for a range of roles, including Nurses, Physiotherapists, and Occupational Therapists, as well as unregistered roles like Assistant Practitioners and Clinical Support Workers – perfect for individuals just starting out in their healthcare career journey. NCH&C welcomes applications from newly qualified clinicians, and those whose professional registrations may have lapsed. In both cases, NCH&C can support individuals as they gain confidence and competence in relevant clinical skills. The unit will be one of ten inpatient units operated by NCH&C in Norfolk. Operating across the whole of Norfolk, NCH&C’s 2,500 staff also delivers health and care in the community, including in patients’ homes, care homes, and GP surgeries. For more information about working at Willow Therapy Unit, visit wearenchc.nhs.uk/willow-therapy-unit/.
Featured images – supplied
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