The Nightingale Initiative for Global Healthcare Transformation (NIGHT), which has been established to raise funds to provide confidential mental health treatment to NHS nurses (including midwives and HCAs) has received official Charity Commission registration.
NIGHT has also announced three trustees to oversee its operation and governance.
Chris Campbell, Merrilee Briggs and Caryn Cooper bring a range of skills and expertise to the position.
Chris, a business development specialist with considerable experience in the healthcare sector, is Chair of the Trustees. Merrilee has worked in the healthcare sector as a volunteer, support worker, registered nurse, registered manager and in senior management and currently serves as trustee for another charity so she also brings relevant experience to NIGHT. Her current role is director of nursing and patient care at the Royal Bucks Hospital. Caryn has a background in healthcare marketing and recruitment, she is a Director at Permanent & Locum Hire working to provide career support and advice to health professionals.
NIGHT is currently fundraising to ensure that every nurse, midwife, or healthcare assistant who requests confidential help can access it. It is establishing a network of volunteer peer champions which nurses can approach completely confidentially to gain access to a user–anonymous on-line application to assist. If clinical intervention is indicated this will be arranged and paid for with the most appropriate provider.
Chris Campbell said: “The Covid pandemic has only highlighted the incredibly difficult circumstances nurses and all other healthcare professionals are working under during normal times.
“It has always been challenging, but the unprecedented pandemic has brought this into sharper focus and has undoubtedly taken its toll on their mental wellbeing.
“I am proud to be working with two talented trustees, and a very small team which is giving so much of its time to establishing NIGHT.
“I hope that decision makers, business and individuals get behind our ethos and support us to support the people who are at the very frontline of patient care, now during the pandemic and in the future when the real toll on their mental health will become apparent.”
