With almost 500 years’ service and tens of thousands of babies between them, 16 members of staff are retiring from Salford Royal’s maternity department.
The staff members, who are a mixture of midwives, neonatal nurses, health care assistants and admin staff, have helped Salford Royal to deliver over 3,000 babies a year in the hospital’s 90-year history of maternity and neonatal provision. In addition to bringing babies into the world within the hospital, Salford Royal’s midwives have delivered babies on front door mats, under Christmas trees, fire station forecourts, in pubs and supermarkets and even during a hostage situation.
Overnight maternity and neonatal services will no longer be available at Salford Royal from Friday 18th November– and some members of staff chose to defer their retirement until the service closed so they could work their last days there. From this date, mothers will instead give birth at Royal Bolton, Saint Mary’s Hospital in Central Manchester and North Manchester General Hospital. However a standalone midwife-led birth unit run by St Mary’s Hospital will exist at Salford, which will be run entirely by midwives and will have no doctors. This will be a choice for healthy women with routine pregnancies.
Midwife Chris Tan has worked in Salford Royal’s maternity unit since 1975 and in the Central Delivery Unit since 1984. She said: “My most rewarding memories are of the joy, laughter and tears that accompany the birth of a baby. I’ve really enjoyed my time as a midwife at Salford Royal and always got along with my colleagues – infact it’s been like working with family. I hope that my colleagues who are moving to work in other Trusts enjoy their careers as much as I have.”
Salford Royal Chief Executive David Dalton said: “We’re extremely grateful to this group of staff who have notched up nearly 500 years’ service between them. They have supported families from the Salford area and beyond through some of the most momentous times of their lives.
“I wish them all a healthy, happy and active retirement but am assured that their knowledge and commitment will not be lost. Their colleagues transferring to neighbouring hospitals will have benefited from the experience of working alongside them, meaning that their high standards will be maintained for the benefit of future generations of Salford women and babies.”
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