Staff you may meet
We employ more than 4400 staff in a vast range of clinical and non-clinical roles.
Here’s a quick overview of just some of the staff you may meet, whether you are a service user, carer, family member or visitor.
Have we missed someone?
If there is a group of staff you think we should describe on this page, please let us know by email.
- Activity co-ordinator
- Activity co-ordinators are responsible for implementing a range of therapeutic activities. Examples of activities provided include social, recreational, leisure, communication, sensory or educational sessions.
- Administrator
- Administrative staff provide essential support to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. This can be in a variety of different settings, with administrators working as a receptionist in a clinic or a clerk on a ward. They may also be working closely with a consultant as a medical secretary.
- Admiral nurses
- Admiral nurses are specialist dementia nurses who give expert practical, clinical and emotional support to families living with dementia to help them cope.
- Advanced nurse practitioner (ANP)
- Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) within memory services is a nurse with additional training in diagnosing and treating memory problems.
- Allied health professionals (AHPs)
- There are many different allied health professions including art, drama and music therapists, dieticians, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. AHPs often work on their own and may work directly with a patient to develop interactive therapies to aid recovery.
- Care navigator
- A care navigator provides advice and support to individuals their families or carers during their care. They often make home visits and support hospital discharges. Care navigators can also signpost and refer individuals to the appropriate services or help arrange care based on the individual’s needs.
- Clinical psychologists
- Clinical psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and to enhance and promote psychological wellbeing. They work in a variety of health and social care settings including hospitals, health centres, community mental health teams, and social services.
- Cognitive behavioural therapist
- A health care professional trained in delivering cognitive behavioural therapy (talking therapy) as an alternative treatment option.
- Community psychiatric nurses (CPNs)
- CPNs are registered mental health nurses who work in the community providing practical advice and ongoing support for people with mental health problems. This is most often in the person’s own home but it can also be in clinics, for example, in a GP’s surgery.
- Dietetic assistant
- Dietitian
- Dietitians use the science of food to help people to make good choices about food and lifestyle. Nutrition is an important part of recovery and wellbeing. All service users admitted to a Trust ward have their nutritional state assessed.
- Doctor
- There are more than 60 different specialities that doctors work within the NHS. Each is unique but there are many characteristics which are common. Roles range from working in a hospital to being based in the community as a GP.
- Domestic
- Domestic staff have a vital role in helping to care for patients. They work in one of three key areas; catering, cleaning or laundry services. All of these services play an important part in aiding an individual’s recovery.
- Employment specialist
- Housekeeper
- Housekeepers help nurses run hospital wards. They are a member of a ward team and support the delivery of clinical care by ensuring the ward is a clean, safe and attractive place which is conducive to patient care.
- IPS team members
- Memory nurses
- Memory nurses work in memory clinics and are specifically trained in understanding and assessing memory problems such as dementia.
- Neuropsychologist
- A neuropsychologist role within memory services is to complete a neuropsychological assessment investigating why someone may be experiencing cognitive difficulties. This involves completing a range of questions, tasks and puzzles exploring different aspects of cognitive functioning. This information will then be collated, and the possible causes of the cognitive difficulties will be outlined in a feedback appointment.
- Non medical prescriber
- A heath care professional who is specially training to prescribe and explore medication options.
- Non-clinical support staff
- There are many people who work behind the scenes to keep services running and you may meet them in hospital or community settings. They include porters, cleaners, plumbers, electricians, decorators receptionists and secretaries who all work to make sure healthcare settings are kept clean, tidy and safe.
- Nurse
- Nurses who choose to specialise in the mental health branch of nursing work with GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others, to help care for patients. Increasingly, care is given in the community, with mental health nurses visiting patients and their families at home, in residential centres, in prisons or in specialist clinics or units.
- Nurse consultant
- The nurse consultant is the clinical lead for the memory service and specialises in dementia diagnosis and treatment. This is combined with responsibilities for research, education and service development.
- Nursing assistant
- Nursing or healthcare assistants work in hospital or community settings under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. They help doctors, nurses and therapists give people the care and treatment they need.
- Occupational therapist
- Occupational therapy is the assessment and treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions using specific, purposeful activity to prevent disability and promote independent function in all aspects of daily life.
- Other clinical staff
- The NHS employs a wide range of clinical staff, it wouldn’t be possible to list them all on this website! All our clinical staff are skilled, dedicated professionals who adhere to high standards of training and work-place practice.
- Peer support worker
- A member of the team who has lived experience of recovering from psychosis.
- Pharmacists
- A pharmacist is an expert in medicines and their use. They work to ensure that patients get the maximum benefit from their medicines and can practice in hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy or in primary care pharmacy.
- Pharmacy technician
- Pharmacy technicians prepare and supply medicines for prescriptions, under the supervision of a pharmacist.
- Physiotherapist
- Physiotherapists help people to improve their range of movement in order to promote health and well being. This can help people to live more independently.
- Porter
- Porters work within the Trust facilities team moving and delivering post, equipment and medication to locations across the organisation. They also help to move frail and often very ill patients between different departments and wards in safety and comfort.
- Psychiatrists
- Psychiatrists are qualified doctors who diagnose and treat patients with mental health conditions. Psychiatry relies upon high-quality clinical skills assessments and diagnosis with help from technology.
- Psychologist
- Adult psychotherapists work with people to assess and treat a range of emotional, social or mental health issues. They help people tackle problems such as behavioural issues, common challenges such as anxiety and depression or more complex or severe issues, such as psychosis or a personality disorder diagnosis.
- Receptionist
- Receptionists are the first link for many patients and visitors. They often work on their own or with one or two other receptionists, greeting patients as they arrive and check them in. They might also collect patient notes and ensure that these vital records go to the right healthcare professional. In a clinic, they may make appointments and arrange patient transport.
- Social worker
- Social workers help, support and protect people who are facing difficulties in their lives. They help people to take positive steps to overcome problems and improve their lives. This could involve assessing and reviewing a service user’s situation, building relationships with service users and their families and agreeing what practical support someone needs.
- Specialist advisor
- We have a range of specialist advisors working in our Trust – they give advice on a wide range of different things, depending on what service they work in. So it could be, for example, mental health, stopping smoking, healthy eating or diabetes.
- Specialist health worker
- We have a range of health workers who all have different specialities. This could be in a certain condition, a therapy or the advice they can give you. Our specialists our highly skilled and trained professionals, ready to offer you help and advice whenever you need it.
- Support worker
- Telephonist
- Telephonists (also known as switchboard operators) are employed throughout the health service. They may work on a busy switchboard in a hospital or the Trust headquarters. Like receptionists, they are an important first point of contact for patients and their families and are a vital link between a caller and the person who can help.
- Therapist
- Therapy is a broad term and can range from occupational therapists to behavioural therapists. Our therapists are trained in their specialist area and type of therapy to make sure we can offer the very best care.
- Ward staff
- On a ward you will see many different members of staff, not all of them are clinical staff! Non-clinical staff include housekeepers and administrators. Ward housekeepers work with other staff to make sure everywhere is clean and tidy and that you have good food. Administrators have clerical and admin roles, like keeping patient notes filed safely, and they can often help you with general enquiries. If you’re not sure who anybody is please ask them to explain.
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