Meet the Governor!
Richard Amponsah is a Staff Governor for NHFT and is also Deputy Director of Nursing, Quality and Allied Health Professionals at the Trust.
We spoke to Richard about his career journey, the rewards of being a governor and how we can make a difference, together, through technology.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a psychiatric nurse by background, and came into nursing as a mature student, having previously worked in hospitality. I qualified in 2004, joined NHFT in 2006 and have been here ever since! I wanted to do something that impacted on people and I thought nursing was a good way. I haven't had any regrets.
What inspired you to become an NHFT governor?
I wanted to be a governor because I wanted to understand how decisions and discussions that are had at board level impact on the work of a nurse. It's a role I really enjoy because it helps me to see that connection and how that translates to nursing on the ground.
As a clinician and governor, how do you think that investing in technology is so important?
One of the key shifts of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan is from analogue to digital, and I think investing in technology is key to being able to deliver outcomes for our patients. I'm involved in a project to update the way we manage risk incidents in the trust to make it much more user-friendly and also save time. Technology is really important in helping us to deliver that.
You'll be attending the NHFT Annual Showcase in September - why should members of the public do the same or watch it back later?
It's a really important meeting because it gives members of the public an insight into what actually happens at NHFT. Many people don't know what it is we do so this is an opportunity for them to find out more, ask questions and get a better understanding of our work and how it affects them.