Set 446

Where are they now?

Stella
(Stella's photo collection)

I Staffed on a male GU surgical ward at Brighton Royal Sussex County for 2years qualified as a district nurse 1983, have thoroughly enjoyed working on the district, combining role reversal with Kim who looked after our first child from the age of 3 months for two and a half years, revolutionary at the time it didn’t immediately go down well with the in laws, whilst also setting up his business from home.

1987 - a night Sisters post at a rehabilitation unit for the elderly in Eastbourne which was a marked and improved contrast to the geriatric placement at Bethnal Green Hosp. 1995 - a job share post back on the district, which was to share the kids (Matthew then 10 years and Leanne 8) with Barbara’s two children, as well as the job, quite unique and got the nickname of life share.  I did get quite bothered at one point when Leanne decided that as most of her peers parents marriages seem to be failing, she thought it would be alright if I went off with Barbara’s husband and vice versa, I guess that it was a testament to the success of the job share which was to last five and a half years.

Then on to the world of commissioning services, continuing healthcare and joint funding services with Social Services, this also gave me the opportunity to carry out some work with the Health Ombudsman.  Sadly I have to say having seen and been part of what is very much now an altered NHS at the tip of bureaucracy, it leaves me very disillusioned with the whole concept of current day functioning or non- functioning of the NHS. So on to the private sector, I now work part-time in a local Nursing home thankfully one of a high standard of nursing care which enables me to achieve a good level of job satisfaction, which I consider to be a fundamental aspect of a job which is now very much lacking in the day to day hubbub of NHS life.

Just to be completely different I run three weight watchers classes which is becoming an exciting part of my life combining my nursing skills re health promotion and enjoying the job at the same time.  Kim’s working career has also changed to accommodate the constant market changes in the world of Electro- technology.  Matthew and Leanne now pursue their own ambitions in life, still living locally and returning home on a need to basis. My passion of horses has never left me, I bought my horse August last year having loaned, shared and juggled riding other people’s horses.  Morgan as he is better known as, is proving to be quite a challenge.

Stella lives near Eastbourne