Celebrating fifty years of NHS service at NUH | Celebrating the NHS turning 75

An NUH employee who celebrated a milestone achievement of working in the NHS for 50 years has been given a special award.

June Belshaw, 75, started working at the hospital in 1973. Her first role was in the operating theatre at the age of 25. “I started to earn some money for a family holiday, but after that I went back because I just loved it. I felt it was the way forward for me and my career. The manager at the time, Miss Wand, used to say to me ‘you’re just as important as the doctors because without you, we couldn’t operate. It was lovely. We were one big family.”

June did that for 13 years, before moving on to become a supervisor, a training officer and then an assistant manager.

When June was asked about being one of the longest-serving staff members. She said: “I’ve still got the same passion today, as I did when I started. I would wish for another 50 years, but nobody lives that long! But you do start reminiscing over all the things you’ve done and all the changes that have happened over the years.”

One of the biggest things to happen during June’s time was Covid-19.

“Covid-19 was a big learning curve for everybody. I’ve never experienced anything
like it. It was quite scary, quite terrifying. When it first came out, people wondered when it was going to end. At one point the hospital was full of it.”

Due to June’s age, she was put on the at-risk register, but it didn’t stop her from working. “I felt it was a bit like a war zone and I needed to be there to support my colleagues.” As June was unable to go onto the wards, she supported by organising
staff risk assessments.

The Trust would like to congratulate and say an enormous thank you to June for everything she’s done and for her continued commitment and service.