After the most challenging couple of years in the history of the health service, the NHS is celebrating the vital role that hundreds of thousands of women have played across our local NHS, on International Women’s Day.

As part of the celebrations, we will be profiling some amazing women and the fantastic work they do.

What is your current role?

My name is Lynda Stockwell, Deputy Director of Nursing and Quality with NHS Lincolnshire CCG. I have been working closely with the mass vaccination programme since January 2021 but now my role is changing as I will be supporting the CCG and our system partners as we move towards Lincolnshire’s Integrated Care System. This is an exciting time for Health and Social Care in our county and I’m proud to be part of it.

What inspired you to work for the NHS?

I wasn’t sure what career path to choose, in fact, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a nurse…but I started my training in Nottingham, I made some fantastic friends, started to learn what it meant to be a nurse (and…yes…I’m still learning) and I realised that this was right for me. I work for the NHS because it is an incredible institution and something that I cherish and respect. The NHS has saved the lives of my parents and I’m appreciative of this and thankful for my colleagues.

What does a typical day look like?

My days are a mixture of working with people inside and outside of the NHS, trying to find creative solutions to challenges, focusing on the quality and safety of services, meetings, and emails. That’s one of the joys of working for the NHS – it’s very rare to have 2 days that are the same.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy the dynamic nature of my job, one day I could be completing a report and the next day I could be offering vaccinations to the public. It’s great to be part of a supportive and innovative team.

Tell us your most memorable moment or what you’re most proud of

I’m most proud of being nominated as a “Boston Hero.” It was a huge surprise and extremely flattering as it meant that people had put forward my name and their reasons for nominating me. It was a shock to see myself on a billboard in Boston but very gratifying. Apparently the “Boston Heroes” picture is on the side of a dustbin lorry….I haven’t seen it yet!