Caregiver profile

Nicki Hockley

Senior HR Business Partner

Joining the St John of God Health Care SEM family in March last year, Nicki has had a long and varied career working in human resources (HR) across many different health care organisations. With a desire to encourage people to do their best and a self-confessed ability to talk a lot, Nicki not only felt drawn to the field of HR but felt particularly fulfilled working in roles within the community health care sector. “I loved being part of a team with a bigger purpose. Being able to serve the community and see that the small part I play ultimately contributes to benefiting those in need.”

Do you live locally or grow up in the area?

I live in Blackburn, we bought our house 20 years ago as a five year plan, to do some improvements and then move — we’re running behind schedule!

Spouse? Kids? Pets?

We have a full house, my husband Mark and I have two teenagers — a daughter and a son, two cats who are 17-years-old and our fur-child dog Charlie (five) who commands all of our attention.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always had an interest in health, I wanted to be a physio or occupational therapist.

What is something you are good at?

Talking to people.

What takes up most of your time outside of work?

Driving teenagers to all their sport and social activities and walking the dog.

What’s your favourite thing to do on a weekend?

Taking the dog to the beach for long walks or long lunches with friends.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

I like meeting new people and talking but don’t really like being the centre of attention.

Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you like to learn to play?

I don’t have any musical talent, I’d like to learn the guitar — it’s fascinating watching people play. How do they know where their fingers are supposed to go?

Do you have any phobias?

I don’t like heights — I went on a ski lift once and closed my eyes the whole way.

What has been your favourite holiday?

We took the kids on a kayaking holiday in Fiji, kayaking from island to island and staying in villages with locals. No TV, no phones, no internet. Perfect!

If you could pick anywhere else in the world to go, where would it be?

I’d love to go to Antarctica.

What’s your favourite season?

I love autumn, the colours of the trees changing and the days getting cooler.

What skill do you think you could improve on?

I’m not a very good cook. Luckily my husband does most of the cooking.

What’s something you’re really bad at?

Minimising my chocolate intake.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

I’d have worried less about what other people thought and more about what I wanted. I love animals and would have a rescue farm if I could.

Who do you look up to?

So many people around me have different skills, talent, attitudes, perspectives, intellect, motivation and stories — I look up to people I can learn from.

What was your first paying job?

My first job was wiping tables in a food court of a shopping centre, I was 14.

Did you learn a new skill or did anything positive happen to you during Covid?

We had an opportunity to go to the snow, skiing between lockdowns, it was a fabulous ‘spur of the moment’ trip away.

What do you love most about your job/workplace?

I love that where I work serves the community, that the people I work with are respectful, warm, friendly, supportive, fun and caring. That we are held to a set of values that sets the culture. I love that my job is to help caregivers to help patients.

With the Cardiac Diagnostic Clinic now up and running let’s meet the team responsible for providing a much needed service to Berwick Hospital’s surrounding communities. Headed up by Consulting Suite Manager Julie Gould, the team consists of Consulting Suite NUM Simone VanDerSchoot and cardiac sonographers, Anya Beling and Shane Yole, with support from Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory (CIVIL) NUM Erinn Vogt.

Offering cardiac tests for inpatients and outpatients, the new clinic expands the cardiac services onsite at Berwick Hospital to effectively offer a one-stop shop for patients who previously had to be referred further afield for diagnostic tests. Supported by a respected cohort of more than 35 cardiologists, a patient who now comes to SJGBH