Final Report > Chapter 9: The Paediatric Cardiac Surgical Service in Bristol > Parents at the BRHSC and the BRI > The Cardiac Liaison Nurse

The Cardiac Liaison Nurse

60 Miss Helen Stratton was appointed as Cardiac Liaison Nurse at the BRI in 1990. She was a qualified registered nurse and had taken the English Nursing Board's (ENB) course in intensive care at the BRI. [51] She had no training in counselling. [52]

61 There was no formal job description to determine whether Miss Stratton's post involved her working only at the BRI or also at the BRHSC, or to differentiate between her work and that of Mrs Vegoda.

62 Miss Stratton's understanding of her role was that she was to support parents and, where necessary, ensure a smooth transition for parents and children from the BRHSC to the BRI. This could include corresponding with the child's health visitor and GP and ensuring that parents had accommodation and practical information about their child's admission to the BRI. When a child was in surgery or in intensive care, she, as the liaison nurse, would spend time explaining aspects of post-operative treatment, because the nurses caring for the child often did not have the time to do this. [53]

63 In relation to bereavement she understood that she would notify the health visitor and describe how the parents had reacted and their plans for returning home. [54]

64 Miss Stratton saw her job as evolving by bringing ideas and initiatives into the BRI from centres such as Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOS). [55] A book produced by GOS called `Heart Children', which had concise and easy-to-understand explanations of the most common cardiac conditions, with diagrams, [56] was made available by her to parents at the BRI.

65 In her second year, Miss Stratton wrote and published an information pack for parents. It outlined the process of admission to the BRI for surgery, provided details of accommodation and useful telephone numbers, and described what would take place during the pre-surgery preparation. She also produced a leaflet for bereaved parents, giving the name of the Patient Affairs Officer, together with useful telephone numbers and information. [57]

Footnotes

[51] WIT 0256 0001 Miss Stratton

[52] T46 p.35 and WIT 0256 0002 Miss Stratton

[53] WIT 0256 0002 Miss Stratton

[54] WIT 0256 0008 Miss Stratton

[55] WIT 0256 0006 Miss Stratton

[56] WIT 0256 0006 - 0007 Miss Stratton

[57] WIT 0256 0009 Miss Stratton. Bristol City Council's Social Services Department provided a social worker who was responsible for Ward 5. Her role was to ensure that patients and their families were referred to the Social Services Department, and then to offer such help as the family wanted. Due to changes in the structure and accountability of social services in 1974 and 1987, the role of social workers ceased to be a counselling role. WIT 0487 0008 Dr McMullen, Principal Medical Social Worker (Teaching), BRI 1975-1987, Social Work Team Manager, BRI 1987-1992