International Women’s Day 2021 profile: Jayne Collingwood

Monday was International Women’s Day and to mark the occasion we have been asking our female colleagues about themselves. You may be surprised by their answers!

Jayne Collingwood, Head of Leadership and Organisational Development:

Tell us about your journey into the NHS and what you would do differently, if anything?

I joined the NHS a long time ago now and I will never forget the first day I was left alone in a clinic in Normanton near Wakefield. A patient presented with a complex foot problem I had never seen or encountered before. That was when the penny really dropped, it’s down to me and this is where the real learning begins!

If you were stuck in a lift with anybody who would it be and why?

I like to be stuck in a lift with Nancy Kline author of ‘Time to Think’. As I have progressed in my career I have realised that allowing ourselves time to think is so important .

Your most inspirational female icon, past or present?

The most inspirational woman is my mum. She has taught me so much about life, bouncing back, self-belief and kindness.

What is your favourite food and most disliked, and why?

Salad, any kind, anything goes, such a versatile option. Most disliked is bananas. As a little girl I was given banana sandwiches and I didn’t dare tell my friend’s mum I didn’t like them.

Do you have any phobias

Not that I know of

What did you want to be when you were younger?

A chiropodist and I became one. I trained at Durham New College.

Tell us something funny about yourself

Strange things often happen to me. I once was driving along and a full pan of pasta came from nowhere and bounced across my car bonnet and covered my car in cream sauce. There was no-one around and to this day I don’t know where it came from