At Fresenius Medical Care UK & Ireland (FME UK&I), we are constantly striving to broaden our understanding of the healthcare environment to ensure we deliver the highest standard of care. This mission would not be possible without the exceptional contributions of our colleagues. Our Values Communications Specialist, Suzie Carroll, responsible for coordinating our engagement with the external healthcare landscape, is a shining example of this excellent work.

Suzie’s passion for creative and effective healthcare began at a young age. Her grandparents both worked in healthcare and were avid painters, so growing up, she witnessed first-hand the transformative benefits art can have on individuals. Inspired by these observations, she began exploring this intersection of creativity and care during her early art studies, working with young people with brain injury exploring art as therapy, ultimately discovering a long-lasting passion for creative healthcare solutions.

Suzie’s journey led her to work as an intensive care (IC) nurse within the NHS and MedTech – roles she found deeply rewarding due to its focus on compassionate patient care. Suzie was impacted by the discovery of home ventilation devices and this experience led her into a Project Management role. She describes how these devices left her “mind blown,” offering even the most critically ill patients the opportunity to be treated in the comfort of their homes.

Keen to explore this further, Suzie joined FME UK&I as a Product Manager specialising in home therapies. In this role, she brought her previous experience into the renal care field, managing products that enabled life-sustaining home dialysis treatments. This position marked the beginning of her increased engagement with the external healthcare environment. NHS trends, patient preferences, and economic pressures all shape the spaces that FME UK&I operates in, and Suzie developed a sharp understanding of how these factors can be managed and addressed.

As this understanding grew, Suzie’s role naturally evolved into external healthcare coordination, the position she holds today. Her role involves analysing a wide range of research, external developments, and reading healthcare policy proposals to inform the wider FME UK&I team. She credits her career progression into this role to her innate understanding of the necessity of long-term thinking for true progress. “If we’re too short-termist, we’re only able to be reactive instead of proactive,” Suzie explains. This forward-thinking perspective has been vital as she navigates the complexities of external healthcare trends and system-wide challenges.

Suzie believes that one of the most important qualities needed in her role is a passion for change and innovation. Her role doesn’t require a specific degree, but she stresses that curiosity, engagement with healthcare policy, and a willingness to connect with others are essential. “You basically need to be a bit of a geek,” she adds, reflecting her dedication to staying informed and connected.

What Suzie finds most rewarding is the ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of those with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). She highlights the importance of patient-centred care, particularly ensuring that CKD patients don’t feel defined by their treatment. “People with CKD are only patients when they’re in a hospital environment. Providing them with the freedom to have a life outside dialysis should always be a priority. This can be achieved by building in flexibility to both our dialysis products, and our structures of care.” 

In addition to her patient-focused work, Suzie is a strong advocate for sustainability. Part of her role involves aligning FME UK&I with the NHS’s Net Zero goals and contributing to long-term environmental planning, which is becoming increasingly critical across the healthcare sector. This aspect of her role is vital to ensuring that FME UK&I is prioritising a sustainable approach as the business continues to develop. Suzie notes that sustainability is also an increasingly important value to those who use FME UK&I’s services, giving FME UK&I a key responsibility to ensure that this is reflected in how the company operates.

Suzie is also acutely aware of the pressures facing the NHS, especially as resources are stretched during the winter months. She reflects on how the need for long-term strategic thinking has never been more apparent, particularly in light of growing waiting lists. “Renal patients simply can’t afford to sit on waiting lists without seriously risking their health,” she explains, highlighting the urgency of addressing these challenges head-on.

Patience has proven to be one of the most important skills in Suzie’s role. Transforming healthcare systems and influencing change on a large scale is a slow process, but one that she finds deeply motivating. Her understanding of the barriers patients face fuels her commitment to opening new avenues of care for those with renal health challenges. Suzie is passionate about inspiring young people to consider a career in healthcare, even if they come from non-traditional education backgrounds. “Just believe in yourself and trust your judgment – get involved and surround yourself with good people,” she advises. “We are the ones that hold ourselves back.” 

Suzie’s career path reflects the opportunity to innovate and grow within FME UK&I, demonstrating the flexibility and possibilities available to colleagues. Her story is a testament to our values of adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning as we strive to create a better future for patients and colleagues alike. Do you want to join the team? Find out more about our current career opportunities here.