AFTER clocking up 60 years of service in the NHS, two workers at the Great Western Hospital have bid a fond farewell to their colleagues.

GWH rehabilitation assistant Anne Whatsize retired from her role on the orthopaedic therapy team at the end of March.

And Jean Wallington, also a rehabilitation assistant, who worked on Aldbourne Ward and in the pre-admission clinic, also recently retired.

Anne has worked for the NHS since 1982 and her first job was providing physiotherapy to patients at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, in Portsmouth.

After moving to Swindon in the mid-1980s, she worked on an orthopaedic ward at St Margaret’s Hospital, before moving to Princess Margaret Hospital in March 1987.

She then transferred to GWH when it opened in 2002.

Before retiring, she provided physiotherapy and occupational therapy for patients having hip and knee replacements.

“I will miss pretty much everything about my job,” she said.

“Every day is a challenge and no two days are ever the same. I will also miss the team, we all get on well and they are great to work with.”

Jean’s NHS career began in 1981 and she joined the trust in 1986 as an occupational therapy helper, as they were called then. She became a rehab assistant seven years ago.

She said: “It feels very odd to be retiring. I have enjoyed it so much and have had the best job in the world. I have been lucky to work with a fantastic, lovely team.

“The best thing about the job has to be home visits. I used to go to see patients for pre-op appointments in their own home, which meant you could really get to know them.”