Our three retirees, Sue, Helen and Geraldine, along with our one leaver, Moira, have together worked a whopping 129 years in total for the NHS. Their colleagues wish them a fond farewell.
Sue Dean
Appointment Clerk, Sue, has retired after 23 years working for the NHS.
Sue started her career at CHFT as a Healthcare Assistant in paediatrics, where she worked for eight years. She moved to the clinical preparations department to work as a Clinical Preparations Officer and then made her final move to the Appointment Centre.
During her retirement, she plans to spend more time in her allotment with her husband. Appointment Centre Team Leader, Helen Bright, said: “Sue loves cooking up a storm with what she has grown in her allotment. She shares the endless courgettes and beetroot with friends and family.”
Sue said: “I’m looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren, jet-setting off on holidays and socialising with friends. I also want to carry on being active with my walking and swimming.”
Her team want to wish Sue all the very best health and happiness in her retirement after all she has done for CHFT.
Helen Allingan
Helen will be retiring this week and her ICU colleagues have thrown her a party to celebrate (see photos).
She started her training at Calderdale in 1990 and joined ICU in 1993, working as a Staff Nurse and then as a Sister. She later joined the newly-created Critical Care Outreach team at CRH, which she did for 12 months before returning to ICU.
In 2013, Helen left ICU to become a Bowel Cancer Screening Practitioner, which she did until she returned to ICU in 2020 to support during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her first shift back on ICU saw her in charge of eight patients, supporting junior staff and the staff who had been drafted in to work on ICU. She quickly realised how much she had missed ICU and applied for, and was successful in obtaining, a Ward Manager post in October 2020.
During her retirement, Helen plans on spending much of her time campervanning around the country, drinking fine wine and dining on delicious food.
ICU Ward Manager, Sue Manning, said: “She has been a much-loved member of the ICU family and we will miss her sharp wit and sarcasm. We will all miss her, but not too much as she is coming back to bank for us!”
Geraldine Atherton
After 40 years of service within the NHS, Medical Secretary, Geraldine, has now retired.
Her career began at St James’s Hospital in 1983, joining CHFT soon after in 1987. She worked within gynaecology until 2008, when she moved to the gastroenterology department, where she stayed for the remainer of her career.
Operational Manager, Samantha Croll, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to Geraldine for the last 40 years. She has been a key member of staff whilst at CHFT, liked by all her colleagues, and she will be greatly missed. I know Geraldine will be furiously planning the exciting activities she can now enjoy and taking the time to relax.
She really should be extremely proud of her service to the NHS and the care she has provided to her patients.”
Moira Alderson
Colleagues past and present joined together to wish Moira good luck as she leaves to take up a Cardiac Rehab post closer her family.
Moira has worked for CHFT for 33 years across Cardiology, Cardiac Rehab and Heart Failure. Most recently as a Cardiac Rehab Nurse Specialist. She has been instrumental in developing the service and supporting Cardiac Rehab in maintaining national accreditation.
During the pandemic, Moira was redeployed and worked within the vaccination programme, delivering vaccinations for Calderdale’s most vulnerable, housebound patients. She then worked as a Community Matron to cover service needs.
Head Nurse for Community, Caroline Lane, said: “Moira will be missed by all her patients and colleagues. I’ve worked closely with Moira in all her roles over the years, and on behalf of all our colleagues, we wish her well in her new venture and we’d like to thank her for her dedicated service to CHFT.”
Pictured left to right: Geraldine, Helen, Moira and Sue
