An influential senior nurse who was awarded a MBE for her services to patients from ethnic minority backgrounds is urging those from every community across the Midlands to come forward to receive their Covid-19 vaccine when they are contacted.

Aquiline Chivinge MBE, a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) 70@70 senior nurse research leader and Clinical Lead for Shared Governance and Inclusive Leadership at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, was recognised in the New Year Honours 2021 after her inspirational work helped to address health inequalities within local communities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Now Aquiline, who herself has received both the first and second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, is encouraging people from communities across the Midlands and her frontline colleagues to come forward to take-up the offer of the vaccine when they are contacted to receive it.

“As a frontline healthcare professional, I feel it’s important for me to reassure those that are still undecided, or have read misinformation online, that it’s important they have the vaccination when they are invited.”

“Public Health England are saying that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. I have seen first-hand how vaccines have played a fundamental role in eradicating widespread diseases such as polio and diphtheria, so it’s important that we provide that assurance to people who have concerns about the vaccine, as Covid-19 is really affecting our communities.” said Aquiline.

After having successfully delivered over 4.9 million vaccines across the Midlands region, the NHS is inviting people aged 50 or over across the Midlands to come forward for their Covid-19 jab.

Throughout her 21-year career at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Aquiline has been a trusted figure within local communities in Nottinghamshire, where she has spent many years working to address health inequalities by engaging with patients from local communities.

“You hear people talk about the difficulties in engaging with groups that are ‘hard to reach’, but fundamentally it is about knowing where to find them and having a good understanding of some of the cultural practices within our communities.”

Aquiline has done this by taking hospital services out into the community, by working alongside community leaders to raise awareness of NHS careers, and to showcase specialist services and how the community can access them.

As Clinical Lead for Shared Governance and Inclusive Leadership, Aquiline has worked with Shared Governance councils, colleagues and a patient experience group to broaden the hospital’s range of culturally-diverse menus, as well as ensuring that cultural and religious considerations for end of life care are observed. Aquiline and the Chair of the BAME Shared Governance Council, Onyi Enwezor (BEM), are working with local healthcare system leaders across the Integrated Care System to support vaccination pop-up clinics in places of worship and community centres.

Aquiline has also worked tirelessly to support her colleagues at the trust where she works and supports professional and leadership development opportunities for clinical and non-clinical staff across all levels. She is collaborating with fellow NIHR 70@70 senior nurse leaders Dr Louise Bramley and Dr Sarah Brand to increase research capacity and capability within the nursing and midwifery professions. She is a member of the NIHR Nursing and Midwifery Incubator Steering Group and co-chairs the communication sub-group with Dr Joanne Cooper.

Aquiline’s work around the Shared Governance culture change also featured recently in a commemorative publication to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020-2021. This was produced by NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands to celebrate the outstanding contributions made to patients by nurses and midwives within the region.

Have you been inspired by stories like Aquiline’s?

The extraordinary work of the NHS and Aquiline’s nursing colleagues during the pandemic has led to an increase in demand for people exploring nursing roles like Aquiline’s – something which she hopes will encourage thousands more people to follow in her footsteps, and explore what a career in nursing might have in store for them.

“The incredible thing about nursing as a career is that it is international, it’s a profession that you can take with you as NHS-trained nurses remain in demand worldwide.”

“Nursing has evolved now as a career and there are so many different access routes into the profession, through nursing degree apprenticeships, blended learning, nursing degree programmes and graduate entry courses. Nurses have the opportunity to branch off and work within specialist areas such as research and clinical academic careers, mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and into management roles. We have seen nurses going into Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer roles within hospital trusts.”

“If anything, the pandemic has put nurses in the spotlight and reinforced the vital role that they and other members of our care teams such as healthcare support workers and nursing associates play in delivering care for patients.”

Anyone interested in exploring a career in nursing, midwifery, as a healthcare support workers or an allied health professional is encouraged to search ‘NHS Careers’ or visit www.healthcareers.nhs.uk

The NHS is now also working alongside job site Indeed to promote the range of NHS healthcare support worker roles that are available during the pandemic. The partnership will make it easier for NHS-ready recruits to reach the frontline sooner by fast tracking the strongest applicants. For more information and details of the vacancies, please visit; https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Nhs-Healthcare-Support-Worker