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Pamela Hibbs (1935-2021) CBE OBE BA FRCN, nurse leader, noted for her achievements in the field of clinical nursing.

Early Life and Career

Born in 1935 and brought up in Kent, Wiltshire and Hampshire, she was the oldest of three children. She began training as a cadet nurse at Southampton Eye Hospital and went on to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, qualifying as a registered nurse with gold medal and first class honours for her year. She went on to work in the intensive care wards at St Mary’s Hospital.

Hibbs took a year’s course at Battersea College of technology and qualified as a health Visitor and worked in rural Berkshire. She subsequently returned to St Bartholomew’s Hospital to be a ward sister and nursing officer, while also working as a night superintendent at St Leonard’s Hospital.

Further Career

In 1976 she was seconded to Hackney Hospital with a remit to turn round a failing institution.l She was appointed Divisonal Nursing Officer Hackney Hospital responsible for acute, obstetric, mental illness, mental handicap and geriatric services, and remained at Hackney Hospital for a further eight years. Hibbs began by initiating improvements to the environment and was particularly struck by the neglected needs of elderly patients. She made imaginative improvements including appointment of a Social Secretary devoted to the Care of Elderly  This was achieved with a grant from the Mercer's Company,  a livery company which had links with St. Bartholomew's Hospital. She also addressed the high rate of pressure sores in the hospital which was 25% coming down to 2% by the time she retired in 1997. Concurrently while commencing duties at Hackney Hospital she undertook an Open University course and, in 1978 was awarded a degree of bachelor of the arts.

In 1985 Hibbs was appointed Chief Nursing Officer to the City and Hackney Health Authority, responsible for the quality assurance programme throughout the district. She was involved with Hackney Hospital until it's closure, and instrumental in planning and designing the new Homerton Hospital which superseded Hackney Hospital.

In 1993 Hibbs was appointed Chief Nurse of St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the Royal London Hospitals. During this appointment she oversaw developmental programmes and practice development programmes. These were in particular areas of for care of the elderly, pain management and for the prevention of pressure sores.

Contributions to Clinical Care

1982 Hibbs argues the case that Budgets for the Elderly are unfairly calculated.

1986 Hibbs has been appointed to a working group to review and develop performance indicators. This was prompted by fear that that standards of care were being overlooked by health service managers as they were less easy to quantify than patient throughput and cost efficiency. Hibbs draws a distinction between efficient and good care

1987 Hibbs sits on a King's Fund Workshop to  define prevalence and monitor  costs of pressures sores. She presents a paper to the Kings Fund workshop relating to costs of pressure sores. She also publishes a book on managing patients at risk of developing pressure sores.

1987 Hibb's work in achieving significant pressure ulcer reduction in City and Hackney Health Authority is acknowledged. Her methods of success are described together with costings.

1987 Hibbs investigates reports of differing nutritional standards in two wards caring for the elderly.

1988 Hibbs publishes a paper examining the economics of Pressure Ulcer Prevention.

1990 Hibbs describes joining forces with other disciplines to solve a serious patient care problem. High incidence of pressures sores being identified in elderly patients admitted with fractured neck of femur. Systematic data collection on pressure sores is described also  prevention strategy with a multi-disciplinary team being involved. The work of the King's Fund Nursing Development Programme is acknowledged. Retirement: In 1997 Hibbs retired from her role as Chief Nurse and Director of Quality Assurance at the Royal Hospitals Trust, London. While in retirement Hibbs was active in Camden Health Watch. and in the League of St. Bartholomew's Nurses. In 2010 she sat as one of the judges of the Architects for Health Awards at this  time she was  Chairman of St. Joseph's Hospice also Chairman of the Charity Council and Care which provides information and advice for the elderly. Hibbs was also involved in prison inspections participating as Specialist Inspector Nursing in 2000 during an unannounced follow up inspection of HM Prison Buckley Hall. She was a Trustee of the Voluntary Board of Governors St.Bartholomew's Hospital.

Honours and Awards

OBE in the New Year's Honours 1986.

Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing in 1990

CBE in 1996

Demise: In January 2021 Pamela Hibbs died of Covid-19 while in UCL. On 22nd March 2022 The Pam Hibbs Inaugural Lecture was held the subject being Pressure Ulcer Prevention during the Pandemic. The subject was very much at the heart of Pam Hibb's work.

Tributes: In 6th May 2021 a tree was planted in the park in Camden in honour of Pam Hibbs 21 and other Camden residents who died of Covid-19.

References