Couple among long-serving workers honoured at Shropshire hospitals

More than 300 members of staff at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) were presented with awards for working for 25 years or more in the NHS.

The recipients included a number of married couples who met at the trust.

One of those couples was ward manager Sharon Main and her husband Martyn, a chargehand porter. Between them the couple have worked at SaTH for 59 years.

Events were held at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford, where staff were presented with a certificate, a long service awards badge and a gift certificate.

Sharon, who is ward manager on Ward 28 at RSH, said: "Our time at the trust has been a happy one, We enjoy the camaraderie and are like one big family. I don't think I could do any other job; nursing is in my blood and will stay in my blood until I retire."

Sam Hooper, medical performance manager, has work at RSH and PRH and has been with the trust for 27 years.

She said: "There is a great sense of community at SaTH, which is one of the things I have loved about working here. There is a fabulous work ethic and we have some brilliant people working in the organisation.

"The patients are at the forefront of everybody's thoughts and concerns."

Victoria Maher, workforce director, said: "We're really lucky to have a workforce that has such knowledge and experience. This means we have people who are absolutely dedicated to delivering the best patient care that they can, or supporting their colleagues to deliver that care. We also have a great ability to support new members to the team, whether that be young people or new people joining the NHS.

"We very much hope that those who have received long service awards feel very special, because they are incredibly special and we would like to thank them for everything that they have done and will continue to do."