Celebrating Carers Week: Meet Claire Hodgson | MY staff stories

Hello my name is…
Claire Hodgson
 
What is your job title/where are you based? 
 
I’m the Head of Governance and Education for Adult Community Services at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.
 
What does your role involve?

My role involves supporting patient safety, quality improvement, staff education, governance, and staff experience across community services. No two days are ever the same!

What’s the best thing about your role?

Definitely the people and my team. I love seeing staff develop and helping make positive changes that improve care for patients and families and staff experience.

Is there an aspect of your work that makes you most proud?

Creating opportunities for staff to feel listened to, valued, and involved in improvement work. I’m also really passionate about ensuring lived experience and carer voices help shape services.

What does “Carers Week” mean to you, and how could your role support its aims?

For me, Carers Week is about recognising the huge contribution carers make every day, often quietly behind the scenes. Every caring role and family experience is different, and sometimes balancing work, family life, and caring responsibilities can be incredibly tough. Within my role, I hope I can help promote understanding, compassion, flexibility, and ensure carers feel listened to and included.

How does your personal experience as a carer influence the way you engage with and support others in your role?

Being a parent carer has given me a much deeper understanding of how much people are often juggling behind the scenes. It’s reinforced the importance of kindness, listening without judgement, and recognising that wellbeing and progress can look different for every person and family.

Why is it important to recognise and support carers, both professionally and personally?

Carers play such an important role in supporting people’s wellbeing and quality of life, but many struggle quietly without support themselves. Feeling recognised, listened to, and understood can make a huge difference both personally and professionally.

What is a common misconception around adult community nursing?

That community services operate 9–5 or provide “basic” care. Community teams support highly complex patients, often helping people avoid hospital admission and remain safely at home.

What is a common misconception around working in adult community services?

That you lose skills or opportunities. In reality, community services offer huge variety, autonomy, leadership opportunities, and exposure to complex care across many different settings.

What do you like to do in your own time?

Spending time with my family, being outdoors, horse riding with my daughter.

People would be surprised if they knew:

Despite working in governance and dealing with complex issues, my biggest challenge is a wasp. I was stung in the mouth as a child and have had a phobia of them ever since!