Long serving honour for Margaret | News

One of Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust’s longest serving members of staff has been recognised for her sterling years of service.

Margaret Jewison (74), Receptionist at Pontefract Hospital’s Urgent Treatment Centre, has achieved a milestone 50 years of service within the NHS.

Margaret began her NHS career in April 1973 in the Medical Records Department at the then Pontefract General Infirmary, collecting and filing crucial documentation, including medical records, test results and X-rays. Following this she became a Receptionist at A&E and the Orthopaedic and Fracture clinics at the hospital, and in 1981 Margaret was promoted to supervisor, responsible for nine members of staff.

One of Margaret’s responsibilities as receptionist, until this responsibility was handed to the secretaries, was to contact patients and book them into hospital for operations.

Margaret said: “I particularly enjoyed those days. It was extremely rewarding working with the orthopaedic and fracture clinics – there was so much activity, and it was interesting work!”

A highlight of Margaret’s career was when she was presented to HRH The Princess Royal in the 1990s, when she paid a visit to open the newly built A&E at Pontefract General Infirmary. Margaret said: “I was chosen to be presented as I was the supervisor of the new outpatient department there. It was an honour and I felt extremely privileged.”

Clearly Margaret has seen many significant changes in the NHS and the Trust throughout her years of service, with many staff coming and going and new departments and procedures being instigated, however, Margaret has no plans to retire. She said: “I enjoy coming into work and making a positive contribution to the Trust and our patients; I love meeting people and feel enormously proud to work for the NHS.”

She continued: “I have met and worked with some amazing people over the years, and we have all wanted to provide the best possible outcomes for the patients and their families.”

Margaret was presented with her long service award, a framed certificate and an engraved crystal vase, by the Trust Chairman Keith Ramsay, who personally thanked her for her exceptional contribution to the Trust and for all the work that she continues to do in her role.