Born within the first year of the NHS, Royal Surrey employee Sheila-Jane reflects on 24 years of service | News

Born just before the launch of the National Health Service, Sheila-Jane has a long history of supporting the patient experience and has enjoyed being part of the Royal Surrey family for 24 years.

Living nearby in Bisley, Sheila-Jane applied for her first role at the hospital back in 1999, to fulfil a strong desire to help others. Spending 18 months as a busy medical records clerk, she then joined the Trauma and Orthopaedics department which would become her home for the next 22 years.

Sheila-Jane’s role has evolved from being the department’s receptionist in 2001 to now scheduling patient appointments for consultants and doctors, working flexibly between the hospital and home.

Moving with the times

She has witnessed a lot of change over the years, from when she would help patients check in for their appointments and prepare their notes for doctors, to now working behind the scenes mastering new technology that has taken over more manual processes. Sheila-Jane is no less busy, however, embracing new patient record systems and taking new ways of working in her stride.

The wider hospital has seen many positive additions during Sheila-Jane’s tenure, including improved facilities for staff such as the Wellspring Restaurant, Costa Coffee, M&S and the Wellbeing Cabin and initiatives such as the Surrey Stars Awards which, she feels, are a fantastic way to make staff feel appreciated.

Huge strides have also been made in Royal Surrey’s services for patients over the years, with the development of the Stokes Centre for Urology, the Trust’s ever-growing reputation for excellence in robotic surgery, its outstanding maternity services and the new St Luke’s Cancer Centre, which Sheila-Jane is looking forward to seeing complete.

The flexibility of the NHS is something that keeps Sheila-Jane working into her mid-70s. In 2007 she had the misfortune of being in a road traffic accident, which saw her undergo 16 surgeries and left her having to work part-time. Royal Surrey allowed Sheila-Jane to reduce her hours and on her 60^th birthday, she was able to retire, draw her pension, and return to work, which has been invaluable.

Being 75 in a team of younger people makes no difference at all

Sheila-Jane Bardoe, Bookings coordinator, Trauma and Orthopaedics

The challenge of still working in a busy job at 75 is what motivates Sheila-Jane to get up and go every morning, not to mention the amazing team she works with, the positive atmosphere within her department, and the great sense of purpose she achieves from her role. She said:

“I feel incredibly proud to be supporting doctors and staff in the NHS, who work so hard. I feel as though I make a difference through my work, I feel respected by my team and I believe patients really do appreciate the NHS.

“It is very important for older people to keep working and not be written off too easily, as they have a lot of knowledge to offer and it is so good for their mental health.

“Older people need something to get up for in the mornings, and being 75 in a team of younger people makes no difference at all. I learn from them, especially where new technology is concerned!

“It makes me smile to think I was born the same year that the NHS was founded, and I feel I share the same hard work ethic and desire to help patients seen across all corners of this wonderful British institution. For as long as I am fit and able to do so, I intend to keep contributing.”