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Nursing and Midwifery NHS Lothian | Our Services

Stay and Grow Conversations

Tartan heading

​NHS Lothian’s Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Plan 2023-2028 sets out a clear intention to “Reinvigorate our workforce” and one of our initiatives to support this is by offering staff a ‘Stay and Grow’ conversations as a way of helping individuals to think about and plan for opportunities for their own leadership development, possible academic development and to consider ways to achieve a fulfilling career pathway.

SandG Leaves

A ‘Stay and Grow’ conversation is a guided conversation with a colleague that leads to an individual developing a plan of action for the next steps in their career development.

Would you like to have a Stay & Grow Conversation?

Stay and Grow Conversations were launched in February 2025.  All nursing and midwifery registered and non-registered staff can request a conversation with a specific member of the Stay and Grow Conversation Group (below). Or if you are not sure about the direction you want to take, a member of  the Clinical Education and Training Team, and/or your local Clinical Practice Facilitators can be contacted to give general career advice aligned to what matters to you.  

How to request a Stay and Grow conversation

Please email loth.stayandgrow@nhs.scot with your name, role, work location and a brief outline of what guidance you are seeking.  A member of the Clinical Education and Training Team will identify a Stay and Grow contact for you to have a conversation with. That person will contact you and arrange a date to meet – either in person or on Teams.

Stay and Grow participant flowchart

Preparing for your Stay & Grow Conversation

To help you prepare for a Stay & Grow conversation download the guidance document and work through it before the meeting, making some notes on your responses.

To record your personal career development plan download the planning template

After your Stay & Grow conversation you will be sent a link to an evaluation survey to help us evaluate the initiative.

Stay and Grow Contacts

Community Nursing

  • Jo Upcraft, Advanced Lead ANP, Hospital at Home
  • Mhairi-Jane Ramage, District Nurse Clinical Lead, Bonnyrigg Health Centre
  • Laura Miller, Clinical Team Lead, Community District Nursing, West Lothian

Community Hospitals

  • Kirsty Jack, Service Manager, Midlothian Community Hospital
  • Pearl Nelson, Senior Charge Nurse, Midlothian Community Hospital
  • Angie Neill, Integrated Clinical Facilitator

Critical Care

  • Lesley Triseliotis, Generic Nursing Recruitment Manager

Education/ Academic pathways

  • Kirsten Hood, Deputy Chief Nurse, Clinical Education & Training

Emergency/Unscheduled Care

  • Vikki Mulholland, Consultant Nurse Unscheduled Care (Acute)

Healthcare Support Workers

  • Janet McLean, Clinical Educator
  • Debbie Mills, Clinical Educator
  • Elaine Docherty, Clinical Educator

Leadership

  • Gillian McAuley, Nurse Director Acute

Learning Disability

  • Scott Taylor, Consultant Nurse Learning Disability

Mental Health

  • Susan McConachie, Nurse Consultant Perinatal Mental Health
  • Alley Speirs, Nurse Consultant, Child & Adolescent Mental Health

Midwifery

  • Pauline Smith, Clinical Midwifery Manager

Neonatology

  • Emily Petrie, Staff Nurse & Educator
  • Louise Bow, Staff Nurse & Educator

Neurology

  • Judy Newton, Consultant Nurse Motor Neurone Disease

Oncology

  • Heather McVicars, Clinical Research Nurse Manager

Paediatrics

  • Caroline Burney, Clinical Educator

Research

  • Juliet MacArthur, Chief Nurse Research & Development
  • Ruth Moss, Clinical Research Nurse Manager
  • Judy Newton, Consultant Nurse Motor Neurone Disease
  • Heather McVicars, Clinical Research Nurse Manager