Welcome to our online celebration of decades of dedication and service by brilliant people in the finest healthcare system the world has ever seen
For the past 73 years, the NHS has belonged to the people and been delivered by people.
I may be biased, but I’m sure you’ll forgive me when I say that – as the Trust’s Executive Director of People, OD and Inclusion – that’s why I think I have one of the very best roles it is possible to have in the NHS.
On this year’s NHS 73rd birthday, we launched our Summer Celebration of Long Service – celebrating and highlighting the contribution of over 400 members of our current staff who have devoted literally decades of their working lives to the NHS.
Congratulations to everyone receiving recognition and I hope all of you enjoy our watching our celebration as much as we have making it.
Shajeda Ahmed
Watch our Summer of Celebration films
Dr Buki Adeyemo’s story
Joining the NHS in 1997 from Nigeria, our Medical Director, Dr. Buki Adeyemo looks back on the beginning of her career as a psychiatrist in the NHS, tackling both the busy pace of work and adjusting to British culture in an interesting first few weeks.
Dr Dennis Okolo’s story
Clinical Director, Dr. Dennis Okolo, shares his journey in the NHS since joining in 1997, initially as a local senior house officer in Rotherham, praising its holistic approach to patients and the time and willingness of staff to engage.
Congratulations to our "over 45 years" cohort
In 1976, we were dancing and having the time of our lives, the first commercial Concorde flight took off, the Queen opened the new National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, a record heatwave saw a ladybird invasion… and Moira Salt was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
David Lear – Psychotherapist
Moria Salt – High Intensity Therapist
- Dave Smith – Social Worker
Congratulations to our "over 40 years" cohort
In 1981, we were all SO charming, the first London Marathon took place, we said Hello to Hitchhikers, goodbye to a Ford classic car, the Cortina…and Jill Taylor was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
- Denise Pearson – Nurse Manager
- Janet Harrison – Manager
- Jane Rook – Transformation Lead
- Jeffrey Smith – Carpenter
- Lee Wilton – Surveyor
- Janet Dodson – Technician
- Anne Melville – Head of Facilities
- Diane Ashley – Community Nurse
- Suzanne Carr – Advanced Practitioner
- Jill Taylor – Community Nurse
- Jane Blagg – Community Nurse
- Karen Forrister – Nurse Manager
- Jeanette Raizada – Community Nurse
Congratulations to our "over 35 years" cohort
In 1986, the nation greeted a new gameshow called Catchphrase, rodent fans were in shock as comedian Freddie Starr ate a hamster (allegedly), there was a new face in the manager’s seat at Man Utd… and Judy Littlehales was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
Congratulations to our "over 30 years" cohort
In 1991, we were just too sexy, John McCarthy was released after 1,943 days as a hostage, the Big Issue hit the streets, a mother made a fateful prediction…. and Andy Powell was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
- Sharon Barber – Housekeeper
- Valerie Barnes – Clerical Worker
- Marie Barnett – Nursery Nurse
- Julie Bate – Community Nurse
- Jayne Beasley – OD & QI Facilitator
- Christine Bentley – Supervisor
- Maxine Buckingham – Community Practitioner
- Mandy Burke – Staff Nurse
- Helen Campbell – Occupational Therapist
- Jane Capper – Health Care Support Worker
- Jillian Cawley – Community Nurse
- Karen Clowes – High Intensity Therapist
- Gillian Cooke – Community Nurse
- Karen Cottage – Community Nurse
- Rubina Damani – Social Worker
- Carol Davies – Secretary
- Rita Deaville – Health Care Support Worker
- Yvette Dover – Health Care Support Worker
- Alison Duffell – Staff Nurse
- Christopher Fieldhouse – Nurse Consultant
- Lorraine Forrester – Officer
- Sharon Glover – Clerical Worker
- Michael Groden – Community Nurse
- Darryl Gwinnett – Nurse Manager
- Jacqueline Hammersley – Health Care Support Worker
- Michelle Harley – Health Care Support Worker
- Jenny Harvey – Staff Side Representative – Unison
- John Hill – Social Worker
- Lynn Hollins – Staff Nurse
- Paul Hughes – Community Nurse
- Diane Hurst – Health Care Support Worker
- David Jones – Community Nurse
- Nigel Jones – Social Worker
- Karen Kennedy – Staff Nurse
- Nigel Lee – Community Practitioner
- Alison Maguire – Accountant
- Ann Marsh – Clerical Worker
- Lee Mason – Service Manager
- Sue Mellor – Staff Nurse
- Patricia Millington – Health Care Support Worker
- Fiona Morton – Advanced Practitioner
- Tina Mottram – Modern Matron
- Matthew Myatt – Community Practitioner
- Penelope Nash – Health Care Support Worker
- Helen Orme – Community Practitioner
- Victoria Parkes – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Alison Perkin – Staff Nurse
- Angela Plant – Enablement Worker
- Debra Poole – Community Nurse
- Andrew Powell – Physiotherapist
- Philip Reece – Nurse Manager
- Karen Ryan – Community Nurse
- Debbie Scragg – Nurse Manager
- Karon Sharratt – Community Nurse
- Lisa Sharrock – Community Nurse
- Janette Shelley – Executive PA
- Pat Smith – Executive PA
- Yvonne Stannard – Community Nurse
- Julie Stocker – Health Care Support Worker
- Stevan Thompson – Health Care Support Worker
- Susan Whitehurst – Community Nurse
- Jackie Wilshaw – Head of Patient and Organisational Safety
- Simon Wilson – Service Manager
- Mandy Wilson – Community Nurse
- Elizabeth Wood – Health Care Support Worker
- Anne Wootton – Secretary
- Sandra Wright – Senior Directorate Business Administrator
Congratulations to our "over 25 years" cohort
In 1996, we were on fire, Dolly the Sheep was unveiled to the world on the NHS 48th birthday, a massive 4% of the UK had internet access with astonishing speeds of up to 56kbps, Nelson Mandela visited the UK and went dancing in Brixton…and Claire Lamb was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
- Elizabeth Amison – Occupational Therapist
- Ann Ashley – Clerical Worker
- Claire Ashton – Health Care Support Worker
- Carol Bain – OD and Innovation Facilitator
- Marie Barley – Staff Engagement Lead
- Kerri Bates – Community Nurse
- Debbie Beardmore – Modern Matron
- Amanda Beresford – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Neil Birks – Health Care Support Worker
- Kim Birks – Health Care Support Worker
- Deborah Boughey – Occupational Therapist
- Tony Bowyer – Health Care Support Worker
- Dawn Breen – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Sue Buckley – Support Services Manager
- Janine Burgess – Community Practitioner
- Dawn Burston – Quality Improvement Lead
- Nicola Buttress – Child and Adolescent Psychological Therapist/Psychotherapist
- Ann Byatt – Health Care Support Worker
- Melanie Carr – Staff Nurse
- Anna Chadwick – Advanced Practitioner
- Karen Challinor – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Judith Champion – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Marie Cheshire – Trainee Nursing Associate
- Lisa Chetwyn – Community Nurse
- Liz Clarke – Lead OT Manager
- John Clayton – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Jayne Clegg – Nurse Manager
- Susan D’Arcy – Community Practitioner
- Jillian Dale – Occupational Therapist
- Caroline Davenport – Medical Secretary
- Sharon Denwood – Community Nurse
- Angela Draycott – Staff Nurse
- Katy Fahey – Health Care Support Worker
- Lesley Faux – Diversity and Inclusion Lead
- Stephen Fawcett – GP Senior Partner
- Kerry Felton – Community Nurse
- Mark Foxall – Supervisor
- Carol Fraser – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Rachel Fryer – Health Care Support Worker
- Steven Gimbert – Engineer
- Alison Hall – Support Services Assistant
- Julie Hazeldine – HR Administrator
- Yvette Heath – Health Care Support Worker
- Elke Henson – Advanced Practitioner
- Samantha Heywood – Community Nurse
- Martin Higham – Health Care Support Worker
- Anne Hill – Health Care Support Worker
- David Hilton – Diversional Activity Worker
- Lisa Holmes – Community Nurse
- Amanda Hulson – Practice Nurse
- David Ibbetson – Psychotherapist
- Paul Johnson – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Tracey Johnson – Social Worker
- Steve Jones – Health Care Support Worker
- Alison Jones – Community Nurse
- Mike Jorsh – Consultant
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- Adrian Keeling – Software Development Manager
- Rachel Kirkland – Community Nurse
- Claire Lamb – OT & Team Manager
- Trevor Lewis – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Ian March – Finance Manager
- Georgina McCafferty – Psychological Therapist
- Jean Meigh – Community Nurse
- Joanna Milgate – Patient Safety Co-ordinator
- Tracy Mills – Community Practitioner
- Sarah Mountford – Clinical Lead, CLDT Manager
- Patricia Muir – Senior Assistant Technical Officer
- Lisa Nagington – Community Practitioner
- Richard Norris-Watkin – Staff Nurse
- Emma Parker – Occupational Therapy Specialist Practitioner
- Linda Peach – Medical Secretary, CAMHS
- Alan Pickford – Health Care Support Worker
- Louisa Pickford – Clinical Psychologist – Clinical
- Robert Pitcher – Physiotherapy Assistant
- Josie Povey – Associate Director
- Michelle Poyser – Health Care Support Worker
- Brent Rawlings – Healthcare Assistant
- Andrew Reid – Occupational Therapist
- Philippa Renshaw – Staff Nurse
- Heather Richardson – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Kerry Richardson – Medical Secretary
- Kathryn Ross – Medical Secretary
- Eileen Ryder – Staff Nurse
- Tina Sieradzki – Health Care Support Worker
- Andrew Smith – Analyst
- Jennifer Spooner – Health Care Support Worker
- Jan Summerfield – Staff Counselling Service Manager
- Kerry Tallent – Community Practitioner
- Tracy Taylor – Associate Practitioner
- Catherine Tighe – Clinical Psychologist
- Maria Walthall-Thomas – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Edwina Ward – Occupational Therapist
- Nick Wildin – Costing Manager
- Victoria Wileman – OT Technical Instructor
- Diane Wilkinson – Health Care Support Worker
- Nena Williams – Community Nurse
- Claire Wilson – Health Care Support Worker
- Nicola Winfield – Nursing Associate
- Karen Witham – Community Nurse
- Jeanette Wood – Staff Nurse
- Pamela Wood – Clinical Psychologist
- Rachel Wooliscroft – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Simon Woolley – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Duncan Young – Salaried General Practitioner
Congratulations to our "over 20 years" cohort
In 2001, we couldn’t get Kylie out of our heads, Wikipedia was launched, NASA became the first space agency to successfully land a spaceship on an asteroid, Steve Jobs launched a revolutionary product iPod and changed the music industry forever…and Mel McNair was working in the NHS.
We are so very, very proud of the following and offer our heartfelt thanks, and recognition on the following members of our staff reaching this significant milestone of service
- Jane Aaron – Health Care Support Worker
- Jeanette Adams – Staff Nurse
- Buki Adeyemo – Medical Director
- Lesley Arnold – Receptionist
- Joanne Austin – Community Nurse
- Michelle Barker-Avis – Housekeeper
- Lisa Barratt – Assistant Psychologist
- Kay Beardmore – Health Care Support Worker
- Ravindra Belgamwar – Consultant
- Sharon Bloor – Health Care Support Worker
- Tracey Boden – Health Care Support Worker
- Carole Boden – Staff Nurse
- Kerry Boon – Community Nurse
- Lisa Boon – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Vicky Boswell – Associate Director of Performance
- Nadine Bowery – Staff Nurse
- Julie Bradbury – Community Practitioner
- Susan Brannan – Health Care Support Worker
- Terence Brown – Health Care Support Worker
- Graham Brownfield – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Jane Callear – Personal Assistant
- Rosamund Castle – Technician
- Simon Cawley – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Gareth Chadwick – Community Nurse
- Jayne Cobby – Health Care Support Worker
- Elizabeth Cole – Staff Nurse
- Deborah Cowen – Clerical Worker
- Clare Cox – Nurse Manager
- Amanda Coxon – Health Care Support Worker
- Dan Crick – Deputy Chief Information Officer
- Jayne Crook – Community Practitioner
- Emma Davenport – Health Care Support Worker
- Andrea Davies – Health Care Support Worker
- Karen Day – Business Development Manager
- Scott Dickinson – Associate Director of Estates and Capital
- David Doyle – Health Care Support Worker
- Elizabeth Draper – Officer
- Julie Dudley – Clerical Worker
- Veronica Emlyn – Patient Experience Lead
- Paula Fairclough – Community Nurse
- Nigel Faulkner – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Pamela Felgate – Support, Time, Recovery Worker
- Julie Ferns – Technician
- Michelle Filcock – Assistant
- Matthew Finney – Community Nurse
- Victoria Finney – Community Nurse
- Jessica Fitzgerald – Nurse Consultant
- Anne Fletcher – Art Therapist
- Clare Foster – Health Care Support Worker
- Stephen Frost – Staff Nurse
- Peter Ghaut – Contracts Manager
- Susan Gilbert – Clerical Worker
- Sonia Goodwin – Modern Matron
- Zoe Grant – Head of Nursing
- Nicky Griffiths – Associate Director
- Andrea Hall – Corporate Finance Manager
- Leanne Hall – Capital Projects Manager
- Ian Hallam – Health Care Support Worker
- Brigette Hamlett – Specialist Nurse Practitioner
- Cheryl Harding – Health Care Support Worker
- Victoria Harvey – OD & Training Information Officer
- Glenda Harvey – Supervisor
- Jennifer Hawkins – Manager
- Lorraine Hayes – Health Care Support Worker
- Helen Heald – Staff Nurse
- Alan Heath – Technician
- Josephine Henderson – Health Care Support Worker
- Dave Hewitt – Chief information Officer
- Julie Hickman – Staff Nurse
- Pippa Hill – Executive PA
- Michael Horne – Health Care Support Worker
- Linda Hough – Community Nurse
- Lesley Howard – Health Care Support Worker
- Julie Howley – Clerical Worker
- Jacqueline Hughes – Consultant
- Louise Hulme – Specialist Nurse Practitioner
- Lynn Ibbs – Health Care Support Worker
- Toni Jacques – Manager
- Sara Jones – Community Nurse
- Mitchell Jones – Health Care Support Worker
- Pauline Jordan – Health Care Support Worker
- Emma Kempson – Community Nurse
- Wendy Kenyon – Clerical Worker
- Martin Laanest – Staff Nurse
- Kieran Langan – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Natalie Larvin – Nurse Manager
- Susan Lawton – Housekeeper
- Jaime Lowe – Occupational Therapist
- Louise Lucas – Staff Nurse
- Lisa Lummis – Medical Education Manager
- Emily Lyons – Specialist Registrar
- Sarah Machin – Community Nurse
- Anne Malkin – Health Care Support Worker
- Carole Martin – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Samantha Mayer – Occupational Therapist
- Jason McDonald – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Katherine McDonald – Community Practitioner
- Chris McGinley – Head of Infection Prevention & Control and Physical Health
- Patricia McGlade – Health Care Support Worker
- Mel McNair – Nurse Manager
- Caroline Mellor – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Isobel Morn – Health Care Support Worker
- Sarah Morris – Assistant
- Rania Mosedale – Clerical Worker
- Jayne Mottram – Analyst
- Ian Mountford – Staff Nurse
- Valerie Murray – Health Care Support Worker
- Lucy Nicholson – Staff Nurse
- Dennis Okolo – Clinical Director
- Clarissa Peacock – Health Care Support Worker
- Gaynor Pearce – Executive PA
- Brenda Pennington – Officer
- Nicola Perrins – Accountant
- Helen Perry – Occupational Therapist
- Susan Petrozzi – Assistant
- Heather Platt – Receptionist
- Deborah Podmore – Psychotherapist
- Jacqueline Powell – Community Nurse
- Tracey Rayner – Manager
- Vanessa Richards – Health Care Support Worker
- Jayne Richardson – Nurse Manager
- Dawn Richardson – Analyst
- Sara Roberts – Staff Nurse
- Joanne Rothwell – Sister/Charge Nurse
- Kathleen Rushton – Health Care Support Worker
- Theresa Saini – Staff Nurse
- Janet Salmon – Analyst
- Justine Scotcher – Executive PA
- Nigel Scrivens – Community Practitioner
- Karen Senior – Health Care Support Worker
- Jan Shaw – Staff Nurse
- Jane Sheldon – Nurse Manager
- Joanne Sherwin – Sister/Charge Nurse
- David Simcock – Staff Nurse
- Jayne Simner – Community Nurse
- Paul Smith – Health Care Support Worker
- Marianne Smith – Psychotherapist
- Debbie Smith – Community Nurse
- Sharon Snelson – Health Care Support Worker
- Lesley Stewart – Applied Psychologist – Clinical
- Barry Stockley – Non Executive Director
- Kerry Swinson – Health Care Support Worker
- Claire Tatton – High Intensity Therapist
- Karen Teece – Health Care Support Worker
- Kelly Tilley – Community Nurse
- Karen Timmis – Officer
- Clare Titterton – Health Care Support Worker
- Catherine Todd-Jones – Community Nurse
- Gail Tylman – Telephonist
- Karen Wagstaff – Nurse Manager
- Catherine Walasiewicz – Nurse Manager
- Michelle Watling – Technical Instructor
- Derrett Watts – Consultant
- Eileen Wedgwood – People Advisor
- Jacqueline Weightman – Health Care Support Worker
- Lisa Wilkinson – Corporate Governance Manager/Asst Trust Secretary
- Stephanie Williams – Nurse Manager
- Angela Wilson – Health Care Support Worker
- Theresa Wilson – Staff Nurse
- Laurie Wrench – Associate Director of Governance / Trust Board Secretary
- Tes Zaheer – Personal Secretary
The NHS is all about people
When we talk about people being central to the NHS, it’s worth reflecting on a few facts.
On the day we launched our Summer Celebration, there had been exactly 26,663 days since the NHS’ very first day of operations on 5th July 1948. That’s over 3,800 weeks – or 640,000 hours – or just over 2.3 billion seconds.
And every single one of those weeks, days, hours and seconds – someone, somewhere in the NHS has been hard at work, doing something very simple, but very profound. Caring for their fellow citizens – from before the cradle to the grave.
There have been generations of families who have followed each other into working in the NHS – or even worked in it at the same time.
Parents and children. Grandparents and grandkids. Uncles, Aunties, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and cousins.
Literally, generations of real-life families making up the overall family we like to call our NHS.
And it’s been people from all over the globe. All races and creeds. Straight, gay, bi, trans. Non-disabled or with every kind of disability or condition.
Speaking more parochially as a mental health trust, there are around 200,000 people substantively employed by the NHS to care for people who need mental health services.
And some of the very finest are to be found right here – at Combined Healthcare.
Our Summer Celebration of Long Service
Delivered online throughout the summer of 2021, our Summer Celebration of Long Service celebrates and highlights the contribution of over 400 members of our current staff who have devoted literally decades of their working lives to the NHS.
We have grouped them into six strands – those who have worked at least 20 years in the NHS, or 25, 30, 35, 40 or incredibly 45 years.
Each of these six groups is represented by someone who gives us a brief snapshot insight into their personal story and individual history with the NHS – why they joined, what it was like, what the NHS means to them has enabled them to do.
Just these short vignettes are fascinating on their own – so they only hint at the treasure trove of memories and experience held by our people.
So… sit back, and enjoy travelling with us back through time to earlier years and earlier decades.