My career journey in Mental Healthcare - Lucy McFadyen
How the journey began
Clinical Manager Lucy McFadyen joined Schoen Clinic Newbridge in 2009 after completing a degree in BSc Paediatric Nursing at Birmingham City University. Lucy, 34, began her career as a Healthcare Assistant after completing her studies.
Within three months, she received her nursing pin from The Nursing and Midwifery Council and was swiftly promoted to a Staff Nurse role. She became the first paediatric trained nurse to join the hospital, embedding the phlebotomy and nasogastric feeding programmes at Schoen Clinic Newbridge, a role she excelled in.
The early years at Schoen Clinic Newbridge
After three years, Lucy was promoted to the role of Senior Staff Nurse, a position that came with a greater level of responsibility. Through in-house training, Lucy continued to enhance her career development. She became the lead for Nasogastric feeding and was responsible for training and examining staff to feed patients with a Nasogastric tube (NG tube). Lucy also became the lead in phlebotomy and was responsible for training all new staff.
Another part of her responsibility as a Senior Staff Nurse was to act as the Care Coordinator for many of the hospital’s young eating disorder patients. During one period, Lucy held the responsibility for ten patients (the largest at Schoen Clinic Newbridge).
"I'm dedicated to ensuring that young patients receive the best care provision as they enter the hospital. I am very much a people person, and I take a hands-on approach with all patients and their families." - Lucy
Straight after returning from maternity leave in 2019, Lucy was appointed to Lead Nurse. Drawing on her previous experience, Lucy was responsible for overseeing all the healthcare nurses at Schoen Clinic Newbridge. Lucy adds: "I thrived on the pressure and loved the role."
In 2020, Lucy was promoted to her current role of Clinical Manager & Safeguarding Lead just as Schoen Clinic Newbridge expanded from a 28-bed hospital to a 34 bed. She is now responsible for overseeing all clinic partners, nurses, occupational therapists, dietetic staff, Psychologists, social workers and family therapists. Another critical responsibility for Lucy is ensuring all the safeguarding procedures for the hospital are adhered to.
Lucy's role at Schoen Clinic Newbridge
As Clinical Manager, Lucy is very hands-on with the young patients and their families. She oversees all referrals, assessments, admissions and the young people's individual care plans to ensure Schoen Clinic Newbridge can be reactive to the best personalised treatment for every patient.
"My current role allows me to focus on the young people and I can work with the parents and offer sessions to ensure every family feels at ease about the treatments which lay ahead for the patient."
Lucy concludes: "I am lucky to work with my colleagues Natalie Maley (Hospital Director) and Dr Tony Winston (Group Medical Director for Mental Health). We have a tight bond and are all committed to delivering the very best treatment. I enjoy the rewarding career I have built over the past twelve years at Schoen Clinic Newbridge. I take my hat off to the parents who hand their children over to us and trust in us.”