Byline: Sue Kelbrick
MARION BOARDMAN is an IT service desk manager for the NHS - a far cry from being a chef, which was her first career choice when she left school.
So how did she end up managing a team of 19 staff within the North Mersey Health Informatics Service (HIS) instead?
Marion explained: 'I changed my mind about becoming a chef shortly after I left school, and never actually started the course. I ended up working with BT for 21 years, before joining the NHS, in January, 2001, working my way up from managing a compact support service within a small Trust comprising 1,500 users, to managing a 24-hour support service to more than 12,000 users across several NHS Trusts.'
As service desk manager for HIS, Marion is responsible for managing IT incidents such as disruption to a particular service or problems with computer hardware, right through to requests for a new service or equipment.
'It is quite a demanding job, managing the calls from eight Trusts - it really puts capacity management to the test,' said Marion.
Despite the pressure, Marion says she thoroughly enjoys her job, particularly speaking to the customers and staff and the 'buzz' of running a busy service. She added: 'Knowing the service we provide is making an important contribution towards patient care within the NHS organisations, by supporting the technology they use, is extremely rewarding.'
The job is not without its challenges - something which Marion faces head on.
She explained: 'Being there for the staff as a manager, ready with advice and guidance, is my main role, as well as being a friend and someone the staff can trust and come to with any problems they may have.
'A bit like being a mum, really!'
And Marion's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Hers was the first service desk in the North West to gain a Connecting for Health Accreditation award, and the service also boasts the accolade of achieving a 94% customer satisfaction rate, which Marion believes is testament to the high standard of customer service she and her team set out to accomplish.
So what advice does Marion have for people starting out on their career? 'Believe in yourself, but be realistic about what you can achieve,' she said. 'It may take some time to get to the position that you aspire to, but be patient because hard work pays off in the end.'
It's a bit like being a mum, really
