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Mid Yorkshire staff champion community care in Westminster
Pictured above (left to right): Steph Cooper, Assistant Deputy Director of Nursing for Adult Community Services, Ann Keen, QICN Fellow and former Parliamentary Under Secretary of Health, Carla Shaw, Locality Matrol.
In April, Adult Community Services staff from Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust took part in a national engagement visit to Westminster, strengthening their skills and confidence in representing community nursing for Wakefield at a national level.
Steph Cooper, Assistant Deputy Director of Nursing for Adult Community Services and Carla Shaw, Locality Matron attended as part of the organisation’s membership with the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, which provides opportunities for community nurses to engage directly with healthcare leaders.
The visit formed part of an ongoing develop of leadership and advocacy skills within Adult Community Services at the Trust, giving staff an opportunity to share insights from Wakefield practice in national forums and contribute to discussions about the future of community care.
During the visit, Steph and Carla met with Ann Keen, QICN Fellow and former Parliamentary Under Secretary of Health; Councillor Catherine McArevey, The Mayor of Dacorum for 2025–2026; and Denise Thiruchelvam, Director of Nursing at the QICN. They shared their perspectives from Adult Community Services in Wakefield, linking local service delivery with wider national healthcare priorities and by sharing real-life experiences from patients and communities they support.
Steph Cooper commented:
This visit was a valuable opportunity to illustrate the impact of community services into national discussions. Community services play a vital role in keeping people well at home and supporting hospital avoidance. This visit helped ensure the voice of frontline NHS staff was heard by decision-makers at the highest level to help shape the future of care in our field.
To date, four senior members of the Adult Community Services team from the Trust have taken part in Westminster visits, each gaining valuable experience in representing community services within national conversations.
Colin Spears, Director of Adult Community Services, added:
Opportunities like this are incredibly important for our teams. They not only build confidence and capability in influencing at a national level but also ensure that the expertise and experience of our staff in Wakefield is heard where it matters most. We are proud to support our colleagues to step into these spaces and represent both our service and our patients with professionalism and impact.