Nuffield Health welcomes back Carol Kefford in new role as Chief Nurse

Nuffield Health, the not-for-profit healthcare provider, is delighted to announce the appointment of Carol Kefford in the role of Chief Nurse. Carol, who will play a pivotal role in delivering Nuffield Health’s integrated strategy and growth plans, will join as part of the Nuffield Health Hospitals Executive Board.

Carol returns to Nuffield Health with an abundance of experience.  Her nursing career includes working in the NHS in Oxford and Manchester as well as the armed forces, where she quickly progressed to head up a large nursing squadron.  She joined Nuffield Health as a Matron to launch the Nuffield Health Manor Hospital, Oxford in 2004.  Carol then progressed to the role of Nuffield Health Regional Governance Manager before becoming Hospital Director at Nuffield Health, Bristol.

Before returning to take up the Chief Nurse role with Nuffield Health, Carol spent time sailing around the World, including through the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic, the East Coast of the US, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific via the Galapagos, Fiji and Tonga to Australia.   She says she has returned to the UK to take up what she describes as “her dream job”.

One of Carols’ first major projects is to introduce the Nuffield Health Preceptorship Programme for newly-qualified nurses. The nine-month programme gives the opportunity for new nurses to; take advantage of peer-to-peer coaching, shadow an assigned mentor, develop clinical skills through work placements, attend master classes, take part in face to face workshops and build a portfolio of achievements. The programme aims to provide new nurses with the tools they need to gain confidence and become great nurses and play a role in shaping the future of healthcare.  

Speaking about the new role, Carol Kefford said:

“Returning to Nuffield Health in the role of Chief Nurse is an honour and I am really looking forward to working with the hospital communities on some of their key initiatives.   The Preceptorship Programme in particular is incredibly exciting, as highly skilled, newly qualified nurses are absolutely fundamental to healthcare providers like Nuffield, and it’s important that we dedicate and invest time and finances into this area so that our patients can benefit from the best possible care.”

KP Doyle, Nuffield Health Deputy Chief Executive, said:  

“Carol will be a massive asset to Nuffield Health, and I speak for everyone when I say how delighted we are to see her return to the organisation.  Our patients are at the heart of everything we do and I know that Carol’s passion and enthusiasm will be of huge benefit to them and our staff.  Her vast experience will be invaluable to the board, our hospitals and also to new nurses coming through the Preceptorship Programme.”

To find out more about the Preceptorship Programme, please visit www.nuffieldhealthcareers.com  or contact Hayley Ashton via hayley.ashton@NuffieldHealth.com. 

Last updated Monday 21 March 2016

First published on Friday 6 March 2015