Jackie Grace

Senior Social Worker

Learning Disability Service

“I’ve been at Partnerships in Care for over 15 years. Over this time, I’ve been able to develop solid, close working relationships with colleagues as well as trusting relationships with my patients. Right now, I’m working in Discharge Planning. It’s quite a specialist role and I primarily work with women who have learning disabilities. I get great satisfaction from ensuring patients don’t have to stay longer than necessary and from making sure they don’t lose touch with friends and family. I also uphold their legal rights. Essentially, my work begins from the moment a patient is admitted right through to the end of their stay.

“At Partnerships in Care, I’m given the opportunity and time to gain in-depth knowledge of the patient and their family. That allows me to assess and react to situations fast and offer the best support possible. People here go out of their way to make sure our patients enjoy life to the full and we all work together to arrange off-site trips for events such as weddings and the like. There are, of course, tight systems to adhere to when planning such outings, but it’s worth the effort when you see your patient making progress on their route to recovery.

“Very often, the feedback we get from families is that, unlike in the NHS, they feel they play an important part in the recovery process. Patient recovery is our ultimate goal, but I feel privileged to know that my work can have a positive impact on the lives of others, too.”