Pennine Care NHS Trust celebrates staff dedication

Chris Verity, Health Visitor, receiving her Long Service Award certificate from John Schofield, Chairman

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust held their annual Long Service Awards to celebrate the hard work of staff.

This year 174 staff picked up an award for working either 20, 30 or 40 years continuously within the NHS.

John Schofield, Chairman of Pennine Care, held a ceremony at Chadderton Town Hall in Oldham, to present certificates and vouchers to staff as thanks for their commitment.

This included 69 community and 105 mental health staff, from a variety of backgrounds including audiology, children’s nursing, counselling, dentistry, health visiting, physiotherapy and psychology.

These services are provided across the Pennine Care footprint: Bury, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Glossop, and Trafford.

Chris Verity, a health visitor, picked up her award for 40 years of service. She said: “It was a brilliant day. Everyone got together to share experiences, chat about changes in service and to have our years of service recognised - it was greatly appreciated.

"The awards also highlight that the role of nursing and health visiting is a worthwhile career. As a community nurse and health visitor you’re valued, make a difference to people’s lives and serve the local community.

“The highlight has to be turning people’s lives around when they’re at low ebb, I get a lot of satisfaction from that.”

John Schofield, chairman, said: “I would like to thank our staff for their continued hard work and dedication towards the delivery of high quality, safe and effective services.

“Staff are truly our greatest asset and these awards help us to recognise and reward the compassion, skills and knowledge that they provide to make the NHS great.”