why did I start the confident patient project? for you!
Hi there 👋, I'm Catherine and I'm the founder of The Confident Patient Project.
About me
I’m a registered health play specialist and have supported children and young people with healthcare procedures since 2008.
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I'm passionate about empowering children and young people and their families when visiting healthcare settings so that they can walk in feeling in control and confident.
Health play specialists work around the country in hospitals, hospices and community settings to improve children and young people's healthcare experience. But many families I've worked with wanted support before they arrived at the hospital, and many felt they needed additional support after they had gone home.
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the backstory...
After my undergraduate degree in childhood and youth studies,
I qualified to be a health play specialist in 2008.
I love to learn so I have also completed a postgraduate
certificate in therapeutic communication with children and
young people and I have a masters degree in infant mental health- I can't get enough!
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I have a few jobs. My favourite and proudest is my job as a
mum of two young children. My son had medical treatment throughout the first year of his life and so I know firsthand what
it feels like to be on the other side.
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I left the NHS in late 2022 to start The Confident Patient Project and I still visit hospitals regularly as part of my other job as an assessor coach for health play specialist apprentices. I love visiting them on their placements and watching them learn and grow in confidence over their two year training.
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I am also a trustee for the Society of Health Play Specialists (SoHPS) where I regularly attend meetings to review and
improve our profession. Every year I help to assess the re-registration portfolios of our registered health play specialists. I feel very privileged to read all about the amazing things our registrants do in hospitals, hospices and communities around
the country.
