Should you encounter any issues please contact us:

hyp-tr.esc.helpdesk@nhs.net

01482 468400

Length of stay: Five weeks.

Expected date of discharge: July 2023.

But this isn’t your average patient needing medical care. This is a family of ducks who have chosen to make the Queen’s Centre, at Castle Hill Hospital, their home.

Mother duck and her offspring were first spotted around five weeks ago in an enclosed courtyard next to Physiotherapy.

Staff were quick to seek professional advice from animal charities on what to do with the female Mallard and her brood. The need was particularly urgent as Mum had a habit of disappearing every so often, leaving the tiny ducklings alone and potentially vulnerable to aerial predators.

But when staff were advised not to move them, they were quick to take the young family under their wing.

Staff took to facebook to ask for help in sourcing a paddling pool to provide the ducks with a regular source of water. Another member of staff’s husband adjusted a rabbit hutch to offer cover and shelter, and various team members donated food such as seeds and insects to ensure the eight young ducklings were well fed.

In fact, the ducklings have created somewhat of a buzz at the Queen’s Centre, with staff coming in on evenings, weekends, and even on annual leave to care for them and provide fresh water for bathing and swimming.

What’s more, the courtyard in which they’ve taken up residence is overlooked by two of the hospital’s oncology wards, Wards 30 and 31, meaning patients spending time in hospital for cancer treatment have had the pleasure of watching the ducklings grow and flourish.

Dr Mansoori, a specialty doctor in oncology based at the Queen’s Centre, has earned himself the nickname ‘Dr Dolittle’, after making it his mission to give the family its best chance of survival.

“There were some concerns initially about keeping the ducklings here, but we sought expert advice and rather than rehoming them, we were advised how best to care for them for the relatively short time they’d be with us.

“Staff across the wards, administration and physiotherapy have all pulled together to feed them, watch over them and give them the best possible chance in life, and many of our patients have been keeping a watchful eye on them too. Some patients have even said that being able to watch the babies go about their daily routine has made their stay in hospital much more enjoyable.

“We’ve resisted naming them in case we become too attached. Mum is already teaching the little ones how to hop and flap their wings, so it won’t be long now before they’re able to fly.

“It’s been a real pleasure to look after them and who knows, one of them may consider the care to have been that good that they come back one day and nest here again.”

According to the RSPB, Mallard ducklings take between 50 and 60 days to fledge, meaning staff and patients can expect to enjoy their company for just another two or three weeks before they finally fly the nest for good.

Watch our video of the ducklings.

The Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is thrilled to announce the opening of its state-of-the-art Day Surgery Centre, marking a significant milestone in the Trust’s commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services.

The £10 million Centre will support the Trust’s elective recovery programme in addressing the challenges posed by the backlog of surgical cases resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Located within Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, this new facility marks the first phase of expansion, introducing four new cutting-edge theatres into operation, enhancing the Trust’s capacity to deliver high-quality care and expedite surgical procedures for patients with surgery as a day case as the default.

This Centre will provide additional theatre capacity at for patients across Hull and the East Riding and beyond, who need a planned – not urgent or acute – procedure. The Centre will include pre-assessment facilities ensuring a seamless transition for patients requiring day case surgery, reducing waiting times and improving overall patient experience from booking to recovery.

Equipped with cutting-edge surgical equipment and staffed by a highly skilled and compassionate multi-disciplinary team, the Centre aims to uphold the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency throughout the surgical journey.

Dave Wright, Consultant in Anaesthetics said: “The opening of the Day Surgery Centre represents a momentous occasion for our Trust and, more importantly, for our patients. These state-of-the-art theatres will provide us with the tools and resources needed to perform a wide range of day case surgical procedures efficiently and effectively.

“Our dedicated team of highly skilled surgeons, anaesthetists, theatre practitioners, nurses, therapists and clinical administrators are excited to utilise this new facility to its full potential, ensuring our patients receive the best care possible.”

The four new theatres have been thoughtfully designed to provide an optimal environment for both patients and medical professionals, incorporating the latest advancements in medical technology and patient care. The theatres will open on a phased basis – phase one ENT & MaxFax; phase two Breast & Vascular; phase three orthopaedics and phase four neurosurgery. This will be done on a rolling two-week programme with patients already booked in to receive their pre-assessments.

Chris Long, Chief Executive said: “We are thrilled to unveil the first phase of our Day Surgery Centre, representing a significant investment in the future of healthcare delivery”.

“Our staff have been putting in relentless efforts to alleviate the strain caused by the surgical backlog, and the addition of these new theatres will play a crucial role in accelerating patient care and reducing waiting times. This development reflects our dedication to providing the highest standards of care for our patients.”

Phase one of the Day Surgery Centre is part of a comprehensive expansion plan, with the second phase set to further bolster the Trust’s surgical capabilities with 10 theatres.

Former joiner, Mike Shepherdson, 60, is among the first to use the new facility, having attended a pre-assessment appointment ahead of surgery next month.

He says: “I was in a serious motorcycle accident in 2021 after which I had to be airlifted to hospital. I had lots of injuries including a broken spine, a punctured lung and 11 broken ribs. I’ve had many operations since then but this hopefully should be the last one; to take a metal plate out of my wrist which should hopefully give me a bit of mobility and less discomfort.

“The new facility is amazing, really beautiful and the staff have been brilliant. I can’t find fault in them,” he adds.

The Trust remains committed to delivering exceptional healthcare services, empowering its dedicated clinical and non-clinical professionals to provide safe, efficient, and patient-centred care.

In a significant collaboration, a team of IR consultants from the Trust and the Christian Medical College in Vellore recently led an Interventional Radiology (IR) advanced practice course on vascular interventions in India.

This pioneering initiative provided postgraduate trainees in IR with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field. The course marked a crucial milestone in advancing IR practices and fostering international cooperation in medical education between the two healthcare providers.

HUTH and CMC Vellore have a long and well-established relationship with teaching visits which began in 1998 to encourage further development of IR and higher studies in diagnostic imaging. Across India, IR is still a very new specialty and there is notable under provision of services except in major centres.

The need for specific training opportunities in IR is recognised and, following discussion and collaboration between the two organisations, plans were drawn up to run a teaching course for IR trainees with faculty from both centres.

Dr Vivek Shrivastava, Consultant Radiologist for HUTH said: “The collaboration between HUTH and CMC has been truly remarkable. This course serves as a testament to our shared commitment to advancing interventional radiology education and fostering global partnerships.

“The success of the course on vascular interventions demonstrates the growing importance of minimally invasive techniques in healthcare. By equipping trainees with the necessary skills and knowledge, we are empowering them to make a significant impact on patient care and treatment outcomes,” he added.

IR is a rapidly evolving field that employs minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions including stroke, pulmonary embolism and aortic aneurysms. It involves using image-guided procedures to perform therapeutic interventions within the body, eliminating or reducing the need for traditional open surgeries. The benefits of these techniques include reduced patient trauma, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery times, and improved outcomes overall.

The collaboration between our Trust, which enjoys one of the best reputations in the UK for IR and the CMC brought together experts from both organisations, to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, expertise and best practices, to enrich the educational experience for participants.

Prof. Duncan Ettles, Consultant Radiologist at HUTH said: “The course marks an important milestone in our collaborative efforts to advance IR education. We carefully designed the course to encompass a wide range of body interventions, ensuring that trainees receive reasonably comprehensive training within the period.

He added that “By bringing together the expertise of HUTH and CMC, we aim to empower the next generation of interventional radiologists with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide exceptional patient care.”

The two-day course covered a wide range of procedures targeting different organ systems, including lectures, case-based discussions and workshops, ensuring a comprehensive and interactive learning environment.

Prof. Ettles delivered the inaugural Paterson Oration lecture titled ‘Interventional Radiology – past, present and future’ in the Senate hall of CMC Bagayam campus. The purpose of the lecture was to explain the origins and development of current IR practices and to look towards future potential challenges and improvements in interventional practice. The talk was streamed live on behalf of the Indian Society of Vascular & Interventional Radiology (ISVIR) and watched remotely in hospitals as far as Mumbai and Hull.

One of the distinguishing features of the course was its emphasis on practical training. The trainees had the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment and simulators, honing their procedural skills under the guidance of experienced consultants and faculty.

This hands-on experience allowed them to gain confidence in performing various IR procedures, including biopsies and drainage, peripheral angioplasty, vertebral interventions, angioplasty and more.

Professor Ettles continues: “As IR continues to evolve and expand in scope, initiatives like this course play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the field. By equipping trainees with the necessary knowledge and skills, such courses pave the way for advancements in patient care, research and innovation.”

Junior doctors are due to begin 72 hours of industrial action this week.

Members of the BMA and HCSA unions will go on strike from 7am on Wednesday 14 June 2023, and the industrial action will end at 7am on Saturday 17 June.

Junior doctors are qualified doctors who have anywhere up to eight years’ experience working in hospitals. Junior doctors account for half of all doctors in the NHS, and they play a key role in the day-to-day running of hospital services and specialties.

Professor Makani Purva, Chief Medical Officer

Professor Makani Purva, Chief Medical Officer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham – says:

“During the junior doctor strikes of March and April, around four in every five of our junior doctors who were due to work – that’s several hundred staff – took part in industrial action each day.

“Planning has been underway for some time to mitigate the impact of next week’s industrial action, but inevitably the loss of several hundred members of our workforce over several days will have a knock-on effect for both our patients and our services.

“Allied health professionals, specialist nursing staff, advanced practitioners and consultants will once again be stepping in to provide cover and ensure essential services are maintained, but regrettably this does mean some routine, non-urgent work will need to be rearranged.”

Patients with appointments scheduled to take place on either 14^th, 15^th or 16^th June are asked to attend as planned. In those cases where appointments need to be rearranged or changes made, a member of staff will be in touch with patients directly to discuss.

Professor Purva continues:

“The junior doctors’ action will add more pressure to already busy hospital services, including our Emergency Department, so we’d really urge the public to choose wisely and use the healthcare service most suited to their needs if they require medical help over the strike period.”

Patients arriving at Hull Royal Infirmary’s emergency department with non-urgent health needs during the strike period may be invited to seek treatment elsewhere as staff seek to juggle service demands and keep patients safe.  Anyone who chooses to stay in the department is expected to face significantly lengthy waits.

Medical advice is always available, 24hrs per day, through NHS111 online at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111, free of charge.

A list of local pharmacies can be found on the NHS website, while walk-in care and treatment for minor injuries is available from the following centres across Hull and East Yorkshire, all of which are open late into the evening or round-the-clock:

• Hull – Story Street walk-in centre
• Bransholme – Urgent Treatment Centre within Bransholme Health Centre, Goodhart Road (open 24hrs)
• Beverley – Urgent Treatment Centre within East Riding Community Hospital, Swinemoor Lane
• Goole – Urgent Treatment Centre within Goole & District Hospital, Woodland Avenue
• Bridlington – Urgent Treatment Centre within Bridlington Hospital (Entrance A), Bessingby Road

A specialist healthcare team from Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham is teaming up with Fitmums &  Friends to help support bereaved parents.

Castle Hill Hospital’s Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Service, part of the Teenage Cancer Trust, will join forces with the charity to launch ‘LiLY Walks’ later this month.

The ‘LiLY’ in LiLY Walks stands for Lives Lost Young. The idea is provide parents who have lost a child or young person, in any way or at any age, with the opportunity to meet others like them and enjoy some gentle outdoor exercise at the same time.

Claire Swift, Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Team says:

“Helping families affected by bereavement is a sad but inevitable part of our job. The loss of any loved one can be difficult to cope with, but losing a child or a young person to cancer or indeed in any other way can be especially hard because their lives have been so short; parents always expect their children to outlive them.

Sam Barlow BEM, Chief Officer and founder of Fitmums & Friends

“Speaking to some of the parents we work with in recent months, we felt there would be a real benefit in giving people the chance to meet and talk with other people who have been in the same position and know exactly what they’re going through. We’re really looking forward to launching our new venture with Fitmums & Friends, which now means parents have that opportunity and can also take in some fresh air and gentle exercise at the same time.”

The first LiLY Walk will take place at 6.30pm on Wednesday 14 June, meeting at Beverley Rugby Union Club, on Norwood in Beverley. Distances of 1 to 3 miles will be available, with a drink and biscuit in the clubhouse afterwards. Walks will then take place at the same venue on the second Wednesday of the month each month thereafter.

Sam Barlow BEM, Chief Officer and founder of Fitmums & Friends, says: “We feel honoured to be working with the Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Service to create this new means of support as part of our wider Together In Grief programme. We want to help anyone struggling with grief through activity and the chance to connect with others who may share a similar experience. We see the positive impact of bringing bereaved people together through our work, and we hope so much that we can extend this support even further through our new LiLY Walks.”

For more information or to register for the first of the LiLY Walks on Wednesday 14 June, please scan the QR code, email heather@fitmums.org.uk or call 07870 654586.

WISHH, the official charity of Hull Hospitals has launched its annual appeal, ‘Space to Grow’ to raise £100,000 to enhance the facilities of Hull’s NICU.

This will complement the Hospital Trust’s expansion of the unit by 5 cots. Each year, Hull Hospitals’ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) cares for over 500 premature babies, some stay for hours or days, whilst others stay for weeks and months.

Francesca Mathews (L) Tracey Omar (M) and Jack Jowitt

Hull is one of four Level 3 NICU’s within the Yorkshire and Humber region, caring for babies from 22 weeks gestation offering specialist intensive care for babies locally and across the country. Through the appeal, funds raised will enable WISHH to create:

«  A sensory room to enable babies to learn and develop new connections in their brain through light and sound stimulation.

«  Development of siblings’ facilities – to enable siblings to play whilst families visit, helping to alleviate the stress parents are already going through.

«  Enhancement of the current parents’ facilities – to create a parents ‘Haven’ to allow them to discuss sensitive issues in a calming environment, whilst also allowing them space to gather their thoughts.

«  Creation of a staff training facility – to create a fresh and contemporary learning environment for neonatal staff.

Francesca Matthews, Neonatal Ward Manger said, “Due to the complexity of medical needs, more babies are staying for up to 49 gestational weeks. These ‘older’ babies and their families would greatly benefit from sensory stimulation to support their developmental process, ensuring excellent clinical care alongside vital developmental support.  Such facilities will also provide these families with a degree of normality, being able to interact within a calming and creative environment with their baby.

“Parents and families who are spending time on the unit for extended periods, will greatly benefit from the new sibling’s and parent’s facilities enhancing and improving their experience at what is a very difficult time.  Training is also paramount for our staff and to have a dedicated space will enable educators to deliver specialist training to team members.”

The ‘Space to Grow’ appeal launch has received a fantastic start of £26,000 towards the appeal’s fundraising goal, donated by inspirational fundraisers who all have their own stories to tell on how Hull NICU has touched their lives. These include schoolboy Jack Jowett aged 8, inspired by following in the footsteps of his friend Riley whose baby cousins were cared for by the unit.

Further funds have been raised by members of Beverley Cricket Club, after their Skipper’s wife and baby received lifesaving care from the unit and hospital. Victoria Beadle, championed NICU to her work colleagues and the team at Siemens Gamesa, who adopted WISHH and the Neonatal Unit as their Charity of the Year for 2022, following the care of her twins.

Kevin, Lottie and Gabriel then (L) and now (R)

Sue Lockwood, Chair of the WISHH Charity said, “When Neonatal staff in Hull set out their plans to make improvements to benefit premature babies and their families and asked WISHH for our help, trustees had no hesitation giving our support. We are delighted to launch the WISHH Charity’s ‘Space to Grow’ Appeal to raise £100,000.  The improvements needed are over and above what can be provided by the NHS.

Sue Lockwood

“Parents who have had their pre-term baby cared for in Neonatal Intensive Care know that alongside the highly complex clinical skills needed for their tiny babies, the impact and strain on the family is significant. Many difficult days and nights are spent alongside their infant and family engagement is so important. Current facilities don’t always make that easy. Please help us reach our target in any way you can.”

WISHH are inviting members of our community, schools and local businesses to get in touch to become involved by pledging support of our ‘Space to Grow’ appeal.’ To become involved or for further information, contact Lisa Whitton, WISHH Charity Manager lisa.whitton3@nhs.net or call on 01482 622299.

Donations can be made via our Just Giving Page rebrand.ly/SpaceToGrowDonate WISHH have opportunities through places at events to support the appeal, from the Hull Half Marathon on the 11th June, NHS Big Tea, 5th July, The Yorkshire Three Peaks on 9th September. Supporters can choose their own creative way to support our appeal. Businesses are welcome to get in touch to find out how to become an integral part of the appeal.

Supporters can post a cheque made payable to “WISHH Charity” – writing on the reverse ‘Space to Grow Appeal’, posting it to us at WISHH Charity Space to Grow Appeal, First Floor Administration Block, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Road, Cottingham, HU16 5JQ.

Quotes from fundraisers who have pledged their support:

Jack Jowitt, Aged 8, Beverley

Jack’s hair length

Jack’s close friend Riley, witnessed first-hand the love and care his baby cousins received from staff at Hull NICU and wanted to raise funds to support the work of the unit.  Sadly, Riley lost his life at the age of 15 and Jack was determined to follow in his friend’s footsteps to continue his fundraising, having his long hair cut to support NICU.

Jack, through the help of family and friends raised over £9,000. When we asked why he was cutting his hair, Jack answered, “I’m doing it for charity and for Riley, to fulfil his wishes”.

Beverley Cricket Club
The club’s third team skipper Kevin and his wife Lottie were looking forward to the birth or their baby, when unexpectedly they both needed urgent lifesaving care.  Thanks to the brilliance of the excellent NHS staff, their son, Gabriel, was successfully delivered and cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Lottie’s life was also saved.  In recognition of the wonderful care they both received, the club took part in the Lyke Wake Walk, involving 62 participants aged from 12 to 64 years, who came together and walked over 40 miles in a day raising over £9,700!

Siemens Gamesa, Hull
Victoria Beadle, of Siemens Gamesa and founder of The Fabulous Fletcher Fund in memory of her son. Victoria and her family are heavily involved in supporting NICU, funding a ventilator, two photo therapy lamps and provided thousands of smaller items to support families staying in NICU, including children’s books, knitted items, blankets, incubator covers, baby nests and care packages for parents who arrive with no personal belongings due to emergency situations.  Victoria rallied the support of colleagues across Siemens to vote for NICU/WISHH as their chosen charity of the year with staff taking part in the Hull 10k and holding other fundraising events raising over £4,800.

Photos for illustration purposes and interviews availabile upon request by contacting Lisa Whitton 01482 622299.

Photos to illustrate the appeal and of supporters attached. Provided with consent from the WISHH Charity.

About WISHH

The WISHH Charity is an independent charity created in 2016 supporting Hull Hospitals.  The Charity raises funds through appeals and donations to improve and enhance facilities, equipment and services at Hull Royal infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital for the benefit of patients, visitors and staff.  For more information, visit our website www.wishhcharity.org.uk or follow us across social media @WISHHcharity

About Hull Hospitals
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has approximately 1,000 inpatient beds, employs more than 10,000 full and part-time staff and provides planned and emergency hospital services for almost 603,000 people in Hull and the East Riding.

It also provides specialist and tertiary services to a 1.25m population from North Yorkshire to North Lincolnshire.

Hull Royal Infirmary provides acute medical and surgical services as well as emergency care. Castle Hill Hospital is the main site for cardiac and planned surgical services and is the regional centre for oncology and haematology.

A Major Trauma Centre for the region, the Trust provides critical care services, with beds for intensive care and high dependency at both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital. It also runs the Eye Hospital and Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, which includes a 26-cot neonatal intensive care unit and four transitional care beds.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals has achieved a dramatic 13 per cent reduction in staff driving to and from work in the first year of its sustainability travel project.

Results from HUTH’s annual staff travel survey show the number of staff driving to Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham has declined significantly, with corresponding increases in staff switching to public transport, cycling or walking to work.

More than 1,000 members of staff responded to the survey, which shows almost 19 per cent of staff now use the bus to get to and from work compared to under 12 per cent last year, an increase of seven per cent.

Cycling to work has also become more popular, with 11 per cent of staff now on their bikes to work, an increase of two per cent on the number of cyclists in 2022.

The number of staff using the park-and-ride bus services has also increased by just under two per cent and more than four per cent of staff responding to the survey either walk all or part of the way to work.

Marc Beaumont, Head of Sustainability at HUTH, said: “These figures are very encouraging and underline our commitment to offer our staff feasible, cost-effective alternatives to bringing their car to work every day.”

Getting to Work event at HRI

The trust launched its Getting to Work project to offer staff alternatives to driving to work every day in May 2022 following the launch of its Zero Thirty sustainability campaign and the introduction of daily parking charges at both hospitals.

Partnerships were formed with supermarkets so staff could use their car parks along particular bus routes serving both hospitals. This enabled staff, particularly those in more rural areas of the East Riding, to leave their cars for some of their journeys and use public transport for the rest, saving them money in fuel and parking costs and the hassle of finding a parking space while playing a positive, proactive role in cutting harmful traffic emissions.

The trust worked with bus firms East Yorkshire Buses and Stagecoach so staff could board three new bus services for free anywhere along the routes, just by showing their ID badges. Figures show 10,000 journeys were made on these new services in the first nine months of the scheme.

Staff are also able to travel for free on the existing Park-and-Ride Stagecoach service from the A63 at Priory Park to Hull Royal Infirmary and a shuttle minibus service was introduced from a hotel car park, a mile away from Castle Hill Hospital.

Additionally around 120,000 journeys were also made by staff on two, free bus services between Hull Royal infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, with staff able to use their ID badges to travel for free on any route between both hospitals.

At the moment, the trust is currently working with Stagecoach to trial a new free bus service for staff living in East Hull who work at Castle Hill Hospital after identifying the travel team identified a gap in provision.

Its travel team is also working in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council to promote cycling to work with a series of events at both hospitals including free bike maintenance, free e-bike loan project and bikes through a free scheme with bike charity R-evolution, securing a 25 per cent increase in applications for its Cycle Scheme in 2022/23 compared to 2021/22.  ERYC has funded additional cycle storage and a cycle workstation for staff use.

Two cycle compounds, costing £180,000 complete with shower and changing facilities and spaces for 100 bikes each, have also been created at Hull Royal infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital in response to staff feedback to signal the trust’s commitment to its growing army of cyclists.

Four Getting to Work travel events have just been held at both hospitals to ensure as many staff as possible are aware of the travel alternatives.

Part of NHS England’s Step Up a Gear group for trusts working to improve sustainable travel, HUTH was also awarded bronze accreditation by Modeshift, Britain’s leading sustainable travel organisation, in the autumn and is confident of securing silver thanks to its survey results.

A new woodland trail has been created for staff in the grounds of Castle Hill Hospital to help them relax and recharge their batteries during their breaks.

(from left to right) Chief Executive Chris Long, left, with Castle Hill Gardeners Dave Baines, Andrew Eagle, Kallum Rilatt, Luke Whitteron and Richard Guest with Allison Coggan of the trust’s Up! health and wellbeing programme

Hull University Teaching Hospitals (HUTH) has opened the trail stretching almost half a mile and weaving through the grounds of the hospital in Cottingham.

The safe and tranquil haven for staff was created by Castle Hill’s Gardening team – Richard Guest, Luke Whitteron, David Baines, Andy Eagle and Kallum Rilatt – as part of a project with Up! – the health and wellbeing programme run for staff at HUTH.

Staff are being encouraged to use the trail for team meetings, lunchtime walks and breaks as part of the trust’s commitment to support staff’s health and wellbeing at work.

Chris Long, Chief Executive at HUTH, performed the official opening of the trail by unveiling a plaque to thank the gardeners for their work in clearing a trail through the woods.

He said: “Our staff work in a really high pressured environment as we recover from the impact of Covid-19 on all hospital services.

“This trail means our teams at Castle Hill can benefit from fresh air and exercise during their breaks, enabling them to return to their wards, departments, clinics and offices refreshed and refocused for the rest of their shifts.”

Pat Watts, a Midwifery Assistant at the Hull Women and Children’s Hospital has retired after 66 years of dedicated service to the NHS.

From a very young age, Pat knew she wanted to pursue a career in an environment which had people at heart. That passion led her into the health service in 1957 when she joined the gynaecology ward of the Cottage Hospital as a pre-student, aged just 16.

Student nurse, Beverley Westwood, 1959

At 18 she started her career as a student nurse at Beverley Westwood Hospital. After getting married in 1960, she returned to the hospital as an auxiliary nurse, working the night shift until she became pregnant with her first child towards the end of 1961.

In 1963, Pat applied to go back to work, but since there were no available positions at Beverley Westwood Hospital, she ended up working at Brandesburton Hospital instead, again on night shifts. She remained there until the end of 1964 when she left to have her second child with her husband John.

In July 1966, she was able to return to Beverley Westwood Hospital and often found herself in charge of the night shift as an auxiliary nurse. She later had another period of work at the Cottage Hospital, but when it closed down, Pat returned to Beverley Westwood once again. She initially worked in gynaecology ward before transitioning to maternity.

Pat relocated once more to the Castle Hill Hospital, where she worked in the midwife-led birth centre. She also worked in Jubilee Centre, supporting midwives to care for women and training in baby massage before it closed in 2012. She then transferred to the Hull Women and Children’s Hospital where she worked as a midwifery assistant on the Maple Ward.

After 66 years, however, Pat is folding her striped uniform and heading home for good to care for her husband, whose ill health now requires her undivided attention.

While she is more than happy to support her husband, Pat, now 82, said she would have loved to stay on longer.

“I would have continued working. I don’t know how long for because I am quite healthy and fit, but my husband comes first.”

She added that whereas she has loved every bit of her career, describing it as “my life” it was just appropriate to let go now for her husband because, “I just couldn’t leave him.”

Pat (sixth left back row) Beverley Westwood

Pat giving out drinks at Beverley Cottage

Commenting on why she stayed on for so long when others like her have already retired, Pat said she simply could not see herself doing anything else. She tried to wean herself off work by cutting her hours from 30 to 20 but not even that helped.

“I loved working. I loved my job, it’s been my life and kept me going but if you’ve got family, you’ve got to help out. ”

Despite the challenges and the many changes the health service has gone through since she started, Pat said “I have thoroughly enjoyed my job. I loved my team and I miss people.”

For anyone contemplating a career in midwifery, Pat says “go ahead and do it.”

Claire Porteus, Charge Midwife on Maple Ward said: “We have missed Pat since she took her well-deserved retirement. She was everyone’s favourite unofficial Auntie on Maple Ward and made our night shifts much bearable.

“She worked really hard and was such a cheerful team member, and a great listener. Pat is very much loved and she has more than earned her rest and time to spend with her family,” Claire added.

Team members who were also very fond of Pat said they will miss their ‘Queenie’, as she was affectionately called.

“It was a privilege to work with her for the last 27 years. She will definitely be missed. She will be classed as a feature, and is so missed. It has been lovely working with her.”