Pat Bottrill

MBE, FRCN

Patricia Bottrill was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing in 2004 for her outstanding contribution to the establishment and development of endoscopy and gastroenterology nursing in the UK and internationally.

Patricia has successfully been pushing forward the frontiers of gastrointestinal endoscopy nursing and patient-centred care for over 20 years. She was one of the first dedicated endoscopy nurses in the UK, and she has been instrumental in setting high quality and best practice standards in the field ever since.

Patricia has an acclaimed reputation among her medical and nursing colleagues for her innovation and expertise in this dynamic and fast moving specialism. She is seen as the authority in her field of practice, and in retirement continues to guide, support and encourage other GI nurses.

Her innovations in practice not only have peer support, but also recognition from institutions that have adopted her recommendations and guidance. Patricia has championed safe practice in the field, and her unique achievement has been to lay foundations nationally and internationally for safe working practices.

Patricia has always promoted investment in training. She recognised how this can empower gastroenterology nurses in their practice, and gave them a key role in the development of education and standards.

Her commitment throughout her career to the development of high standards is regarded by medical and nursing colleagues as impressive. As Chair of the Endoscopy Associates Group, Patricia led the development of the guidelines ‘Safe working practices in GI endoscopy’. This was a truly innovative document establishing goals for endoscopy nurses that has set the quality standards for endoscopy nurses across the UK.

She was one of the founders and teachers of the KeyMed Endoscopy Course, which developed into the GI Endoscopy for Nurses Course that is today the cornerstone of nurse education in this field. As the result of this work, Patricia went on to collaborate with colleagues throughout Europe to develop a common curriculum for endoscopy nurses.

Patricia has an established international reputation too. She was a founder member of both the Society of International Gastroenterological Nurses and Endoscopy Associates, and the European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates, and published widely in the groups’ professional journals.

Patricia was awarded the MBE in the 1997 New Year Honours list for services to nursing and health care. She has worked tirelessly as an activist for the RCN to promote nursing and nurses, and was awarded an RCN Award of Merit in 1995. Patricia served as Chair of RCN Council until 2002 and continued as RCN Council member for the Northern region until October 2003.

Throughout her career Patricia has understood the value of working across professional boundaries and sharing her experience with colleagues. She has always provided a strong motivational force and role model that continues to bring nurses into this specialist field.

Patricia was greatly inspired by the work of Gabrielle Schindler, an American who assisted her husband with examinations. She recognised the need to reassure, comfort and encourage patients through some prolonged and often unpleasant procedures. Her personal vision for the future is one where nurses continue to take on new roles while being recognised that they are maxi nurses rather than mini doctors.

Patricia continues in her patient advocacy role, and is a statutory appointee to the Patient and Public Involvement forum for North Tyneside PCT until December 2007.

Publications

Patricia has a prolific publication record in distinguished journals, where she has disseminated her wide knowledge and expertise in all aspects of practice in gastrointestinal nursing. Some of her publications include:

  • Non-medical endoscopists, British Society of Gastroenterogy, 2005
  • The growth of gastroenterology nursing, Gastrointestinal Nursing, 2005, 1(2)
  • World recommendations based on World Congress Working Party Report into Endoscopic Disinfection, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 1991.