About me
“I’m Jane, Consultant Admiral Nurse for The Good Care Group. I have worked in the care industry since 2001, and in my current role since 2016. Admiral Nurses are specialist nurses who support carers of people with dementia, as well as people with dementia themselves. They provide information, signposting, and emotional and practical support. You can find out more about Admiral Nurses on the Dementia UK website
“As the company’s dedicated in-house Admiral Nurse, I provide support and insight into the care delivery for those living with complex care needs, and together with my colleague Jackie Cooper Occupational Therapist we run the Specialist Care Service at The Good Care Group, an enhanced level care package for those with the highest level of need. I provide support for professional carers and family members, training and education, service development work, leadership, and advice on clinical matters.
“I chose to work in care because I wanted to make a positive difference to people’s lives. From my work at a local county council I realised that my favourite part of the day was talking to carers of people with dementia on the telephone, and this inspired me to become a mental health nurse. I enjoy contact with people, and the variety that my day brings. I am always looking for new ways to improve the service that we offer and am proud of the achievements that The Good Care Group has made.
“In my spare time, I enjoy walking and art, particularly painting landscapes and I also do commissioned work.”
Qualifications and experience
Jane has worked in a variety of care settings since beginning her student nurse training at the University of Southampton in 2001. Prior to that she worked in customer facing jobs for four years, including giving phone information and support to carers around benefits and finances. As part of her student nurse training, Jane worked on several mental health wards, including wards for older people with mental health problems. She also worked in the community and in a care home. On days when not in placement, Jane worked as a healthcare support worker on a mental health rehabilitation ward, and also a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit.
After qualifying as a mental health nurse, Jane worked in Southampton at a rehabilitation centre for people of working age, before moving across to NHS older people’s mental health services in 2004. Jane has worked with older people with mental health conditions (primarily dementia) since then and has very much enjoyed spending time with people and helping them to live as well as possible. Jane worked on older people’s mental health wards for five years, firstly as a staff nurse, then as a ward sister. She enjoyed the fast pace of the wards, and being able to develop her knowledge and skills in physical health care as well as mental health.
In 2008 Jane started a Trainee Consultant Practitioner programme, specialising in older people’s mental health, run by NHS England South Central. The programme prepared Jane for becoming a Consultant Nurse, and it taught advanced clinical skills, leadership, research methodology, and service development, and it was while on the programme that Jane began her Doctorate part-time. She and her mentor Dr Gwyn Grout featured on the front cover of the Nursing Older People journal in an article about leaders of the future.
While on the programme, Jane had placements in community mental health teams, the psychiatric liaison service at a general hospital, and at a care home. Jane was then successful in gaining a Consultant Nurse role working with younger people with dementia in Northamptonshire where she relocated. She worked in this role for seven years, for Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, before becoming a Consultant Admiral Nurse at The Good Care Group. Jane also works occasionally as a Care Quality Commission (CQC) Specialist Advisor.
Jane has particular experience in working with people with the following health conditions; dementia (including younger people with dementia), depression, anxiety, delirium, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, frailty, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. She is also experienced at end-of-life care, and worked for many years in dementia diagnostic services.
After obtaining an Honours Degree (BSc) in Psychology in 1999 from The University of Exeter, Jane began her nursing training, joining a cohort of graduates at the University of Southampton, graduating in 2003 with an Advanced Diploma in Mental Health Nursing. She later studied Masters level dementia modules at the University of Stirling before completing her Doctorate in Clinical Practice (DClinP) at the University of Southampton in 2017.
Jane is a registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. She has presented at several dementia conferences during her career, and twice appeared on the radio during dementia week. She has authored, and co-authored, several publications, including articles in academic journals:
- Pritchard J. & Dening K. (2022) Resistance to care in people with dementia: challenges, responsibilities and unmet need. Nursing and Residential Care.
- Pritchard J. (2017) An exploration of the perceptions of younger people with dementia about hope. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
- Ann Marshall, John Spreadbury, Richard Cheston, Peter Coleman, Claire Ballinger, Mark Mullee, Jane Pritchard, Cynthia Russell & Elizabeth Bartlett (2015) A pilot randomised controlled trial to compare changes in quality of life for participants with early diagnosis dementia who attend a ‘Living Well with Dementia’ group compared to waiting-list control, Aging & Mental Health, 19:6, pp. 526-535.
- Pritchard J. & Brighty A. (2014) Caring for older people experiencing agitation. Nursing Standard. 29, 30, pp. 49-58
- Pritchard J. (2014). Practice Question; Communication. Nursing Older People. 26(8), pp. 16-16.
- Eunson H, Grout G, Pritchard J & Carty J (2012) In Tee S. Brown J. & Carpenter D.(Eds) (2012) Handbook of Mental Health Nursing; Chapter 7 – developing nursing decision making skills. pp 139-159
- Grout G. & Winson J. (2009) Future Leaders. Nursing Older People. 21(8), pp.16-20.
- Grout G. & Winson J. (2009) Dementia strategy; a four country approach. Nursing Older People.
- Winson J. (2007) Patient dignity. Nursing Standard, 22 (11) pp. 59.
