Victoria Moloney

Vicky qualified as a registered nurse in learning disabilities in 2009 from Coventry University. Prior to nursing, Vicky helped to run several drama groups for adults with learning disabilities in Worcestershire, supporting them to devise performances a local theatres, colleges and universities and even taking a performance called “Dreamcatcher” for a week longs residency at Greyfriars Kirkhouse as part of Edinburgh Fringe in 2002 with Other Voices Theatre Company.

Vicky’s nursing roles include assessment and treatment for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs which involved producing MH tribunal and manager reports for those having their MH sections reviewed. Vicky was a Continuing Healthcare Assessor for people with learning disabilities which involved the assessment and collation of information for Decision Support Tool (DST) meetings and making recommendations regarding funding needs and if personal health budgets (PHBs) would support the individual’s needs. Vicky worked in short breaks for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities including palliative care having been there as a student nurse – this included being the named nurse for specific children and reviewing their care plans regularly. Vicky spent 5yrs as a Children’s Community Learning Disability Nursing for University Hospitals Birmingham which involved being a link nurse for special schools and delivering puberty and relationship workshops across the schools, developing resources and adapting sessions to meet the learning needs of the pupils attending those schools. This role also involved developing and presenting of parenting workshops on toileting, behaviour, sleep management and providing resources for other issues such as sensory needs and fussy eating as well as providing home visits to carry out assessments of needs and putting care plans in place to support parents, carers and schools to support identified needs.

Vicky has also worked in Dementia care and residential placements including those for adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities and has worked at a residential college for young people with autism. Vicky’s last role within the NHS was within the children in care team for over 3yrs where the team wanted a LD nurse specifically due to the needs of the young people coming into care, some of whom who had undiagnosed learning disabilities and or neurological diversity. During this time Vicky was promoted from a specialist nurse role to that of team manager and Named Nurse for children in care. This meant dealing with Integrated care boards (formerly CCGs) and trust management to identify staffing and resources gaps, putting in businesses cases, compiling monthly, quarterly and annual reports comparing the teams performance against regional and national KPIs and looking at issues around providing services, managing a caseload of the most complex CYPs, attending safeguarding meetings, managing the team and working closely with health, social and education colleagues to meet the needs of children and young people in care and reducing any inequalities they may experience through being in care. The role also included training others including carers in the statutory requirements in meeting health needs and supporting identified needs or signposting to other appropriate professionals. The role of named nurse meant oversight of all the children in care and liaising with local, regional and national agencies depending on where the CYP was placed.