Children’s hospice charity appoints new director of nursing
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) has appointed Jennifer Rodgers as its new director of nursing and family support.
She will lead all nursing and family support services at CHAS, directing teams of staff working in hospices, hospitals and within children’s own homes across Scotland.
“It is a huge privilege to join the team and to be able to play my part in building on that fantastic work”
Jen Rodgers
Ms Rodgers, who will take up the role on 12 August, is currently the deputy nurse director at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with responsibility for corporate and community services.
She will also work on the charity’s strategic plan, which sets out an ambition that no-one should face the death of their child alone in Scotland.
The organisation was formed as the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland in 1992 and provides the country’s only hospice services for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
It runs two hospices, Robin House and Rachael House, as well as providing services in homes and hospitals. CHAS employs three Diana children’s nurses based in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Previously, Ms Rodgers was chief nurse at the Royal Hospital for Children and Neonates in Glasgow and, prior to that, has worked in various roles in Glasgow, Paisley, New Zealand and Australia.
The charity said she was passionate about improving health services and the experiences of care for babies, children, young people and their families.
It also credited Ms Rodgers, who received an MBE in 2019, with driving high-quality, person-centred care and leading the development of the “What Matters to Me?” approach in Scotland.
The approach seeks to improve listening to children and young people who are in hospital and responding to their needs, rather than assuming knowledge on the thoughts of children.
The initiative involves every child in a hospital setting being given the opportunity to draw or write a ‘what matters to me’ list, which is then displayed close to their bed.
On her new appointment, Ms Rodgers said: “I am delighted and humbled to have been appointed to the role of director of nursing and family support within CHAS.
“Having witnessed the great work of CHAS and its development over the last 30 years, it is a huge privilege to join the team and to be able to play my part in building on that fantastic work, continuously improving the care and experiences of children and families across Scotland.”
CHAS chief executive Rami Okasha said: “After a competitive recruitment process, we are delighted to appoint Jen Rodgers to this important strategic leadership position.
“Jen’s extensive experience in paediatric nursing and the wider support families rely on will be of huge benefit to children with life-shortening conditions.
“Jen will play a significant role in helping CHAS deliver our new strategic plan which outlines our pivotal support to families of dying children at each critical stage of their palliative care journey.”
She added: “Three children a week die from a life-shortening condition. Our nursing and family support staff provide unwavering care to them on this most difficult of journeys.”
