Major local employer Holy Cross Hospital celebrated as its general manager, Jo Speed, has been awarded Chartered Manager status. The hospital places its investment in staff development as central to its success as a leading hospital in caring for patients with profound neurological disorders and severe disabilities.

Chartered Manager is the highest status that can be achieved in the management profession. Recognised across all industries and sectors, it is only awarded by the Chartered Management Institute.

Dr Ross White, Chief Executive of Holy Cross Hospital, joined Jo Speed at her graduation ceremony: “As a major local employer in Haslemere we invest heavily in staff development. We need a motivated and fulfilled team at Holy Cross who want to make a difference every day at work, whether in a healthcare or support role – that means enabling staff to progress through personal development and training. I’m very proud of Jo for her hard work and ambition in achieving Chartered status,” says Dr White.

Jo says: “It’s true that you never stop learning and at Holy Cross I have benefited enormously from the hospital’s ethos of providing high quality training and development. Reaching chartered status meant I had to demonstrate continued professional development; not only have I benefited from the experience and skills I have gathered but the hospital has also benefited from the achievements I’ve been involved with in my department as part of the process.”

After joining Holy Cross Hospital as an assistant catering manager, Jo progressed quickly and took on new responsibilities to eventually become general manager, picking up a keen interest in health and safety along the way. Jo recognised how she thrived on new challenges and studied for a number of professional qualifications to complement her role at Holy Cross.

It was while she was working to complete the Chartered Management Institute Level 5 Diploma in Leadership in Management that she decided her next step would be to reach Chartered status. Becoming a Chartered manager requires not only a degree level management qualification but also proven management experience and competence and evidence of substantial professional development.

Although already building on her management skills at Holy Cross, she opted to support two local voluntary groups outside of work as a trustee to broaden her breadth of experience. She joined the board of trustees for a day care centre in Farnham and the board of management in a care home in Farnborough, also in a trustee role.

While working to become a chartered manager, Jo also completed the level 5 NVQ in occupational health and safety and still has plans to progress further as she is currently working to become a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

Jo has lived all her life in Aldershot and has worked at Holy Cross since 1993.

Find out more about careers at Holy Cross Hospital.