NHS Hero nominee – Cath Smith
NHS Hero nominee – Cath Smith
Cath Smith has worked as a nurse at the Royal Stoke University Hospital for the past 45 years, and she’s still going strong.
The 63-year-old, who works in the Acute Medical Rapid Assessment Unit, retired in 2014 but soon returned to work part-time as she missed her job and her colleagues.
She said: “I just love my job, what more can I say. What I enjoy most is interacting with patients and staff and hopefully seeing patients getting better.
“I always knew that I wanted to become a nurse even from when I was a very little girl.
“I work evenings at the hospital, from 6pm until midnight. So I look after my granddaughter during the day and then in the evenings I come to work.”
When Cath first started work at the hospital in 1978 it was the North Staffs Royal Infirmary. The hospital, personnel and many working practices may have changed over the years but Cath has remained as a constant.
She said: “I’ve always worked in this type of role within the hospital. It’s what I’m used to.
“I’ve seen lots of changes over the years, some good and some not so good, but the people I work with are amazing.”
In April Cath was presented with presented with gifts, certificates, flowers and had a buffet organised in her honour to mark her 45th anniversary of starting work at the hospital.
Now she’s been nominated as an NHS Hero in the Your Heroes Awards by her daughter-in-law, Danielle Mason.
Danielle said: “Cath is an absolute gem of a woman who loves her job and is the foundation to her family.”