Page 31 - QARANC Vol 19 No 2 2021

Northern Ireland Branch
Chair: Nuala Green
Secretary: Kerry McFadden Newman
While still in the throes of lockdown at Easter time I thought it would be nice to send a little hint of better, brighter times ahead in the Spring. With this in mind I sent out my Chair’s message and enclosed some sunflower seeds with every letter. The response was very positive judging by the comments on our group’s WhatsApp chat. Further correspondence revealed some members even managed to grow a sunflower which is more than yours truly managed as the slugs ate mine as soon as the first shoots appeared!
As restrictions ease we hope for some return to normality, our Branch Christmas Lunch is booked and we have scheduled a visit to the theatre in the Autumn. There is even a visit scheduled to the Botanic Gardens to (finally) see the roses in their second bloom followed by fish and chips to top the day! This has been a tough year for many and for many different reasons, we hope that getting our forecast of events off to a start will be a positive
Stunning results from Nuala Green’s gift of sunflower seed to NI members!
step in the direction of a return to something we all knew as ‘normal.’
Nuala Green Branch Chair
The Gazette QARANC Association 29
Isobel King is presented with flowers and a coin in recognition of her contribution to infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland.
Infection Prevention and Control Lead – Recognition of Assistance
During what has been a tumultuous year, much clinical adaptation and retraining has taken place for many in healthcare.
One of our Branch Members who is also a Nursing Officer with 204 Field Hospital found herself stepping up and into the IPC Team during the pandemic. Major Angela Gregg has worked for many years within the trust and dipping in and out of the area of IPC but found that to improve and maintain her competency she required additional time within the speciality. This would ultimately provide the trust team with a current and competent team member and in addition to this provide time within the clinical area of IPC to complete and maintain DONC competencies within IPC for Major Gregg. Isobel King, Infection Prevention and Control Lead within the Ulster Hospital was incredibly helpful in assisting with an honorary contract to enable this to happen. As such, and due to the benefit it had on a serving Nursing Officer, the Commanding Officer of 204 Field Hospital presented Isobel with a coin and flowers in recognition of this.
Major Angela Gregg Member NI Branch
BRANCH NEWS