Sonya is a Clinical Team Leader (CTL) at Cygnet’s Churchill Hospital in Waterloo London.
She’s been a CTL for over 7 months and is already thinking about her next role within the organization.
How did you end up working at Cygnet?
I studied in Derby and joined Cygnet initially as a Bank Support Worker after working for the NHS in Leicester.
On joining Cygnet, I realized there are so many different pathways within mental health, Initially I thought I’d like working with Older Adults but after different placements enjoyed forensic services, personality disorders, rehab and community.
What do you enjoy about your role and the Team you support?
Our team is strong and it’s really important our Service Users see that.
I love understanding everyone’s perspective and I think that, plus a high level of diplomacy at all times, is how to develop strong leadership skills.
Your job must be rewarding but also really hard? How do you cope?
I think you cope when you see really positive patient outcomes.
I had a patient once who had multiple personality disorder and was completely despondent; she was suicidal and banging her head.
I could see she needed someone to listen to her. Someone who could let her talk. Hear things from her perspective. That was the turning point.
Through allowing her to talk and forming a relationship, I discovered she had been really passionate about music and writing songs before she became unwell.
We have co-production activities here at Cygnet and the Music 2 Empower program helped this patient start writing songs again.
Over a year or more later, when she’d been discharged back into the community, I bumped into her. She told me she’d performed at a gig and that she’d been so grateful I was there for her when she needed someone.
When you get an outcome and feedback like that, it definitely makes you feel good and feel focused on the job even when it’s tough going.
All staff must need strong support to do the job you do. What does staff support look like on an average day at Cygnet?
We all have support from our Managers and in turn, we can pass that supported feeling back to our Service Users.
We all reflect regularly and encourage this within the team.
We’ve developed regular patient and team feedback.
We have regular huddles with the Team – formally and informally to check-in with each other.
We have great peer support and debriefs, so that daily, we’re supporting each other and making sure shifts can run as smoothly as possible.
What about training and development – it’s one of Cygnet’s Promises to staff – have they delivered their promise to you?
Yes! I’ve already worked at 3 Cygnet locations – Ealing, Blackheath and now Churchill.
They supported my move to London with a relocation package.
I enjoy the variety and new challenges that come with working here and I’m already thinking about the next stage in my development which will be Ward Manager.
I’m already standing in as Deputy Ward Manager to get experience.
Cygnet have lots of extra training opportunities and a really open culture about wanting new learning opportunities.
Interested in getting into Nursing or would like to see what Nursing and CTL vacancies we have available now? Apply today at join.cygnetgroup.com/nursing-jobs
