Mental health charity appoints new nurse director

Catherine Vichare, who has been a mental health nurse for 21 years, is taking on the top nursing role at St Andrew’s Healthcare.

“My vision is for a charity-wide nursing team who feel accountable for the care they deliver every single day”

Catherine Vichare

Ms Vichare has already worked at the charity for the past eight years, first as a modern matron and then most recently as clinical director for outpatient services.

Before joining the charity, she spent 13 years as a mental health nurse at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

As director of nursing at St Andrew’s Healthcare, Ms Vichare said she aimed to unite the charity’s nurses into “one professional and passionate group”.

“I plan to bring these different view-points and experiences together across our nursing workforce, to ensure that all of our service users, whether on a ward, in community living, or at home, have a positive and empowering experience being nursed in our care,” she said.

“My vision is for a charity-wide nursing team who feel accountable for the care they deliver every single day, and empowered to challenge practices that do not support our charity vision to inspire hope.”

St Andrew’s Healthcare supports around 600 people at any one time, 90% of whom are referred from the NHS.

Its focus is on “complex” mental health and learning disability care, including psychiatric intensive care.

Dr Vivienne McVey, chief executive of the charity, said Ms Vichare was “perfect” for the director of nursing role.

“Catherine is a highly valued member of staff who has worked in a number of senior positions, having consistently delivered high-quality care and service to all our patients and service users,” she added.

“Catherine has always maintained her nursing throughout her St Andrew’s career and nurtured wonderful therapeutic relationships with her patients, with some wonderful hope and recovery stories.”