Can you spot our Lead Nurse, Cath Briggs, in this 1979 Dewsbury School of Nursing photo? She's on the back row, third from left, and in her words "rocking a curtain parting".

We're wishing Cath a fond farewell and a happy retirement as she retires later this month. She's been part of the NHS for more than 45 years and we're looking back over some of her career highlights.

Cath started working in the NHS the day after her 18th birthday in 1979, when she was appointed as a nursing auxiliary at Staincliffe General Hospital. She spent three years training, rotating between different areas to gain experience. This included a spell at Storthes Hall and a stint working with district nurses and health visitors – often zipping to the different locations on her Suzuki FZ50 moped.

She qualified in 1982 and became a staff nurse on the female orthopaedic ward at Batley Hospital, before later becoming a school nurse, and was responsible for testing children's hearing and vision as well as supporting vaccination programmes.

After a number of other roles, she became a matron in 2000, later becoming The Dewsbury Hospital Matron in 2002. She joined #TeamCHFT in 2014 as our Matron in Medicine.

She retired and returned 2016, when she was pivotal in implementing Nerve Centre and HOOP (Hospital Out Of Hours programme) which has helped to directly improve patient experience.

Cath said: "I'll miss equally the patients we care for and the people I work with. As much as for the past few years I've had less direct patient contact, all of the work I've been doing around the deteriorating patient, and the work to bring together the Acute Response Team has been a privilege, as patients are at the heart of all I do.

"I'm looking forward to spending time with the family. Time really passes so quickly."     

In total Cath has dedicated 46 years of her life to the NHS. She spent 36 years at Mid Yorkshire and 10 years at CHFT. Thank you for your dedication to healthcare and for the lasting impact you have made.