Today we meet Carmen Findlay who is a Patient Care Advisor (PCA) in the Musculoskeletal (MSK) service. Carmen has been working for Here within SMSKPC just over eight years.

Why did you choose to work in Sussex MSK Partnership Central (SMSKPC)?

Funnily enough, when I was in the mental health service, Here won the contract and I come across from Hove Polyclinic. And they said ‘choose where do you want to work and I said musculoskeletal, because I was fascinated with the skeleton and the knees and all the muscles and things. It was something that really interested me.

Tell us more about your role as a Patient Care Advisor (PCA)

As a patient care advisor we are dealing with patients every day, starting from the referrals from their GPs into our service, going through their pathway booking, their appointments to come and see us, finding Hospital providers that are best suited to them and their location. And then dealing with any everyday inquiries.

“MSK is very effective at finding patients the right path and the right treatment the first time instead of bouncing them around from place to place, so for me that’s very fulfilling.”

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I think it’s because it’s so satisfying dealing with people because generally we are all patients. Even though I’m a PCA I’m also patient in the NHS and I know how I’d like to be treated and services that I would like to receive.

MSK is very effective at finding patients the right path and the right treatment the first time instead of bouncing them around from place to place, so for me that’s very fulfilling. It’s lovely and rewarding to see how we can change patients quality of life and their care.

What would you say to someone thinking about a career in SMSKPC?

I’d say you really won’t find such a rewarding position anywhere else really because of the fact that you’re dealing with people. Caring, kindness and compassion are values that we have in our service and that really comes across in what we do right down to the staff, our wellness and our health and things like that. Here is just such a lovely environment to work in and I wouldn’t like to work anywhere else. I’ve worked a long time and this is really one of the best jobs that I’ve had since I started working. It’s such a joy to come to work.

How would you describe the SMSKPC in one word?

Effective.