Norfolk woman who's worked in NHS for over 40 years is honoured to attend Westminster Abbey service

It's exactly 75 years since the National Health Service was created

Jenette Powell
Author: Tom ClabonPublished 5th Jul 2023

A woman from Norfolk who's been working in the NHS for over 40 years says she feels "really honoured" to attend the organisations birthday service today.

It's exactly 75 years since the National Health Service was created, as part of major reforms which following World War Two.

"'I'm now coming up to retirement and I don't want to go"

Jenette Powell is Head of Audiology at the James Paget Hospital:

"I've loved every minute of the time that I've worked here.

"It's a joy coming to work, not every can say that, but I find it that way.

"I'm now coming up to retirement and I don't want to go, I like it too much. I love the people I'm working with and I love the hospital.

"We are very busy and we get busy all the time.

"It's most difficult to recruit staff to come into the area. We find that a lot of staff want to stay around The Midlands or London, but actually when people do come, they stay, because they say there's a fantastic ethos."

"I was really surprised to have the nomination"

She told us a bit more about attending the service at Westminster Abbey:

"I'm really touched and honoured to be able to do this. I was really surprised to have the nomination and I later found out it was from one of my colleagues.

"I'm very touched that they think of me enough to do that. I work in an absolutely incredible team and I wouldn't be who I am without them."

"I know you went the extra mile for me"

Ms Powell also told us about one patient she remembers:

"We had this gentleman of working age come in.

"He was really struggling with his hearing loss, in his workplace. I snuck another aid out to him and we fitted him with the second aid - I'd have been in trouble if my boss found out!

"A few moments later there was knock on the door and he the patient was there with a box of chocolates.

"I said 'you don't need to do that!' and he said 'I know you went the extra mile for me'."

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