10 QUESTIONS


Each month, we ask a health and safety professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Christine Husbands, Managing Director at RedArc Nurses.


10 QUESTIONS WITH… Q7


about improving outcomes for people. Clearer pathways and better integration with mainstream NHS services would make a big difference. It’s good to see an increasing emphasis on health and not just safety, there’s a lot of support available to help people physically and mentally, such as employer- sponsored group insurances, employee assistance helplines, etc, and I’d like to see employees given wider access to them.


Q5 Q1


WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? My first job on leaving school


at 16 was in ICI, my job title was “Messenger Girl”, just shows how times have changed.


Q2


HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY


INDUSTRY? After working my way up in ICI and becoming a qualified accountant, I moved into financial services as a Finance Director of several subsidiaries of Skipton Building Society. In one of my roles, I was heavily involved in the purchase of the company RedArc Nurses and I simply fell in love with the business. So I was delighted when the opportunity arose for me to take up the role as Managing Director in 2010.


Q3


IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER FOR A DAY,


WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY? As our company is a team of nurses that help people with a wide range of issues, it means we hear from people with a lot of serious health conditions; so if I had a superpower it would have to be a magic wand to make as many people as possible better.


Q4 52


HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND


SAFETY INDUSTRY? My focus is primarily the health side of the industry and I am passionate


WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO


SOMEONE NEW COMING INTO THE PROFESSION? It’s very easy to get bogged down in the massive amount of rules and regulations that pervade this industry; it is important to remember the real reason behind the health profession i.e. the people.


Pragmatism (when possible) can go a long way in making the profession appear more flexible.


Q6


WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT NEGATIVE


ATTITUDES TO HEALTHY AND SAFETY? I feel that attitudes towards the profession would be improved by a more flexible approach, we’re all working to improve things for businesses and individuals, and the closer we all work together, the more we can all achieve.


IF YOU COULD HAVE A DINNER PARTY WITH ANY


THREE PEOPLE, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY? Mother Teresa – she must have so many inspiring stories to tell about her charitable work.


Nelson Mandela – another selfless and inspiring person who endured so many difficulties.


Richard Branson – it would be great to hear how he developed and grew his business empire.


Q8


WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE


HEALTH AND SAFETY INDUSTRY? If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got. So, I guess the future depends on how the industry tackles the challenges to change. It’s good to see mental health and wellbeing tackled, we certainly see more employers looking to offer mental health support to their staff, and I think this will become more widely spread.


Q9


WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY?


Provide well for my family to ensure they had no money worries. I would also contribute a significant amount to charity but would need to think about which ones would make best use of the money.


Then, I’d pay off the mortgage, buy a boat, moor it somewhere sunny and retire!


Q10


STEVE COOMBES – HEAD OF CDM AND PROJECT


MANAGEMENT AT ALCUMUS ASKED: How do we attract more talented young people to the Health and Safety Industry?


I think by cultivating a more consultative approach in roles that can sit within businesses, informing and influencing boards in good health and safety practice as part of a company’s ethos and values.


www.redarc.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com


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