Earlier this year, the NHS celebrated its 75th year. When it was founded in 1948, the NHS was the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery. Today, nine in 10 people agree that healthcare should be free of charge, more than four in five agree that care should be available to everyone, and that the NHS makes them most proud to be British.
Did you know?
Although Campden Home Nursing is an independent charity, and not part of the NHS, we work hand in hand with the NHS and enjoy strong relationships with our twelve affiliated GP surgeries. All of our nurses and HCAs have worked for the NHS at some time during their careers – many having worked as district or community nurses or on a ward within an NHS setting.
Our nursing team has accummulated 888 nursing years between them, having worked in over 40 NHS settings
Our very own Jane Carless, for example, has been nursing for over 40 years, having trained at the John Radcliffe, Oxford – at the same time as Dawn Hetherington, who worked at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and the Churchill Hospital. Another of our nurses, Karen Mountney, describes herself as a ‘late starter’ having began her training while her children were growing up, after a previous career in finance. She started her nurse’s training in 2004 and qualified from University of Worcester in 2007. She is also our most well-travelled nurse, having worked on the other side of the world, having done a student nurse placement at Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia.
Shirley Bird has been a Registered Nurse for 45 years. She said: “I started my training at Stratford-upon-Avon hospital under Warwickshire Health Authority. I then moved to Evesham Community Hospital and have worked there before and after I had my family.”
Charlotte Jordan, has notched up 38 years, soon to be 39. She started working for the NHS as a health care assistant.
Heather Barley, our Head of Nursing Services, has worked as a nurse for 29 years, in primary care for most of her nursing career as a district nurse, practice nurse and as a hospice at home nursing manager. Heather said: “I am in awe of the amount of years we have accumulated in nursing experience within the team. The breadth and depth of our experience is testament to the opportunities offered to us all, through our training and subsequent careers within the NHS. Our employment with allied health care providers and charities such as our local hospices is all rooted firmly in the NHS where we learnt our craft and fine-tuned our clinical skills. It is an absolute pleasure and a privilege to have been part of such an incredible institution and here’s hoping we see it continue to grow and flourish for the next 75 years. Despite the many challenges the nursing profession has faced over the years, especially during COVID-19, for me it still remains a true vocation and one of the most life and love affirming jobs anyone could wish to have.“
, Registered Nurse
