Portsmouth woman returns to city 30 years on for new hospital director role

Liz Ambler has taken on the role at the St Mary’s Hospital-based Practice Plus Group and said she was delighted to come home after spending over 30 years working abroad.

She said her experience working in healthcare abroad was enlightening with the hospitals being ‘really well equipped and really well staffed’.

She said: ‘You get a really good time to do nursing. You get time to spend with your patients, which isn't always the case, unfortunately.

NOW READ: Mental health advocate and TikToker India Walker-Flynn died in care at Elmleigh Hospital, inquest hears

‘The experience of just working in a different culture and understanding how things work differently and how people are very similar but also very different. I carry that with me.

‘I think it makes me more open to understanding.’

She described the healthcare systems as very different in both countries, with countries abroad operating on primarily private healthcare. The 48-year-old said the lack of a well-established primary care system in the Maldives meant that everyone would go to the hospital for everything, leading to ‘massive pressure on the system’.

SEE ALSO: Brother set to donate his bone marrow to his younger sister who has leukaemia to save her life

When asked about what changes she would be looking to make in her new role, Ms Ambler said she felt hesitant to make many, stating the hospital was already running smoothly.

She added: ‘It's running really well. It's part of the community and we have the urgent treatment centre, which has a much wider response for emergency care within the integrated healthcare system in Hampshire.

‘I’m not looking to make many changes. We're a very heavily regulated environment which is why we need to make sure that patient safety and quality outcomes are paramount, so there will be no sudden changes.

‘In terms of my approach, I’m getting to know my team more, and looking at how I can support them to do their job better.’

This is not the first time Liz has worked in a leadership role, having worked in senior positions in health and social care during her time abroad.