Two treasured Northampton General Hospital nurses to retire after 40 years of service each

Two nurses who have dedicated more than 40 years of their lives to caring for others are due to retire next month.

Both Linda Pratt and Denise Eglis will leave Northampton General Hospital in mid-November to retire, after long careers in the nursing field.

The women, who have been part of the same department for around 20 years, currently work as orthopaedic nurses in Manfield Theatre at the hospital, which specialises in elective and trauma surgical procedures.

Linda first came across orthopaedics during a placement while she was training in the late 1970s.

The now 61-year-old said: “I really enjoyed my placement in orthopaedics and I wanted to take it further.

“I worked on the wards for six years before coming to Northampton General to work in the fracture clinic. I then left to have my children between 1992 and 1994.

“When I wanted to come back I found a job advert for here and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Denise - or Dee, as she is known by her colleagues - worked as pre-nurse from 1970 before moving into mental health nursing.

When she moved into orthopaedics she was not expecting to enjoy working in theatre, but Dee was scrubs nurse for 13 years before completing more training to be able to help with anaesthetics, which she has done ever since.

The 67-year-old said: “I thought I would hate working in theatres as I was not keen on the sight of blood at the time, but I got over it.

“I like the team work aspect. We’re all there to look after this person who can’t help themselves at all at the time.”

Both women can start to wind down from next month as they begin their well deserved retirement, but leaving behind their team is bittersweet.

“I’m looking forward to it in one way, but in another way, I will miss them all so much,” Linda continued

“We get on so well as a team and we’re like one big family.

“It will be nice to be able to just go away for a week on a whim without me having to think about getting back for work and I think I’ll take up a few hobbies too.”

Dee added: “It’s a mixed thing really.

“I will miss the people and the patients, but I have got other things I need to do.

“I have enjoyed my time here and I have been lucky enough to love what I do, but it’s time.”

Although Linda is officially retiring, she is planning to join the bank staff to do the ‘odd shift’ and ‘keep her hand in’.

For Dee, however, retirement is all about finally spending more time at home.

As the team around Linda and Dee gets ready to bid them farewell, it is clear to see that they will be missed by many.

Donna Robinson, theatre manager, added: “I have known both of these women for a long time - over 20 years.

“They have been a large part of my working life and we are more like a family.

“We have shared a lot of special times with all of the staff that have come and gone in those years.

“We’re sad to see them both go and they will be greatly missed by us all.”

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