Specialist enhances nursing team at Shropshire hospitals

Elaine France officially took up the new role at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, at the start of this month.

Elaine will play a key role in providing specialist advice, guidance and support to patients, families, carers and all clinical staff who care for adult patients with tracheostomies.

A tracheostomy is a medical procedure — either temporary or permanent — that involves creating an opening in the neck in order to place a tube into a person’s windpipe to allow air to enter the lungs.

Elaine, who qualified as a physiotherapist at Keele University in 1999 and has worked at SaTH for the past 19 years, said: “My aim is to ensure SaTH delivers a high quality, safe and effective service from insertion, daily care, to weaning and, where possible, de-cannulation.

“I am delighted to have been accepted into this role and I intend to building positive relationships within the multi-disciplinary teams and wider health community to encourage a team approach.

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"This will ensure the best outcomes for our patients, while ensuring staff feel confident and competent and that their clinical opinions are respected.”

Clare Marsh, spokeswoman for head and neck services at SaTH, said: “Elaine will be a huge asset to the trust as we look to improve this service.

"She has a longstanding interest in tracheostomy management and was part of our original tracheostomy action group.

“She will provide a vital link between all multi-disciplinary teams, departments and the wider health community, and will work across PRH and RSH where she will be actively involved in teaching, mentoring and assessing clinical and medical staff.”