Farewells

A fond farewell to our long-serving staff

Carol Bisby

Carol Bisby has retired after working at LTHT for around 25 years in various areas including Medical Admissions, Leeds Chest Clinic, Sleep Service and the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial (YLST). For the last three years, Carol worked as part of the very successful YLST team. She was part of the project from the outset and brought invaluable skills and experience to the team. She willingly shared her knowledge and played a large part in training new members of the team. There have been several highlights during Carol’s time with the team including winning the Team of the Year award at the Time to Shine awards 2019, participating in fundraising events and publicity shoots. Carol has contributed to raising the profile of the project, funders Yorkshire Cancer Research and LTHT research throughout her time in the YLST team. The team wish her well in her retirement.

Denise Logan

Denise Logan retired from her role as Administrative Co-ordinator for Holiday Dialysis at LTHT in April. Denise commenced employment with the Trust in 2007 via Taskmaster as a Medical Secretary in Renal Services. She then took over the role of Holiday Dialysis Coordinator in 2012.

Denise’s work was arranging holiday dialysis for patients in the United Kingdom and abroad. Denise was described as supportive, hardworking, and loyal. Her plans for retirement are to spend more time with her family and visit her caravan in Skegness. Denise’s team will miss her and greatly appreciates the extensive contribution she made to helping dialysis patients within the Renal Service. They wish Denise a long and very happy retirement.

Elayne Hardy

Elayne Hardy has retired from her role in the Liver Transplant Unit after a lengthy career at LTHT. Elayne started in 1974 in A&E as a band 5 nurse, and after three years worked her way up to become a sister. She moved to HDU at LGI as a band 7 and stayed there for seven years, taking a year out to complete a teaching degree, after which she worked for the School of Nursing for three years whilst starting a family. Elayne then returned to staff pool to get experience in different specialties. Elayne moved to a band 6 nursing role in ENT for four years, and then moved to colorectal. She finally arrived onto the Liver Transplant Unit where she remained until her retirement.

Elayne is looking forward to spending more time at her holiday home in Florida, and more time with her grandchildren.

Lindsey Knight

Mr Lindsey Knight, Consultant ENT Surgeon, retired from LTHT in March. Lindsey was appointed to the post of Consultant ENT Surgeon at St James’s and Seacroft in 1995, joining a department of three other ENT consultants at that time. and firmly established the regional paediatric airway service now based at LGI. With the formation of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Lindsey was instrumental in combining the two ENT departments across the city onto the present LGI site and enabling growth of the ENT department. Lindsey’s passion for sailing was everpresent, representing the LGI in the yearly NHS Regatta races. His colleagues wish him well in his retirement.

Elizabeth O’Sullivan

Elizabeth O’Sullivan – known to her peers and patients as Liz – has retired from her midwifery role at LTHT. Liz started her NHS career in the August of 1975, where she began her nursing training at St James’s Hospital for three years as a student nurse. Liz then got a position at Chapel Allerton hospital and worked as a staff nurse.

Following this, Liz wanted a change and undertook her midwifery training. She became a midwife in 1981 and worked as a rotational midwife at the Trust until 1998 when she moved to a position on the Transitional Care Baby Unit for 15 years. In 2013 Liz found her place on Ward L36 working as postnatal midwife and worked there till her retirement.

Liz’s team said of her: “Many of us she has laughed and cried with, many of us she has mentored, and best of all many of us she has helped along the way - for that we could not be more thankful. She will forever be the most kind and caring midwife around! L36 will feel empty without her, she truly is it’s beating heart. We wish her all the best in her retirement, thank you for everything you have done for us Liz! WE LOVE YOU!”

Julie Beckett

Julie Beckett has retired from her role at LTHT in May after a lengthy career in the NHS of 40 years and nine months. Julie started at LGI in 1981 as a student nurse, becoming a staff nurse in 1984 at Chapel Allerton hospital, Neurosurgical rehabilitation ward. In 1985, Julie became a student midwife, qualifying in midwifery in 1987 and joining the team at LGI. Julie joined community midwifery as sister in 1991 and became a band 7 team leader in 2007. She retired and returned as a band 6 in antenatal clinic at LGI in 2018.

Julie’s retirement plans include spending more time with her husband, 2 daughters, son in law and grandson. She also plans to make more time for gardening, travelling, pilates, yoga, and helping at her Church cafe offering food, coffee, companionship and friendship to the local community. Of her career, Julie said: “It has been a great career and an amazing place to work in and for. I have loved every minute of helping families.”

Julie Rushton

Julie Rushton has retired from her role as Clerical Officer at LTHT in April, after spending 32 years working for the Trust. For the last 11 years, she has been a vital part of the Complaints Team. The team say Julie will be very much missed and they are looking forward to hearing about all the holidays she has coming up. The team dedicated the following poem to Julie.

So the time has come to say goodbye With a lump in our throat and a tear in our eye Julie will put down her post bag and multi-coloured pens To spend her retirement with Dougal and her hens

She will be dearly missed by all of her team

With her supply of eggs, breakfasts and magic cream. We will miss her singing and daily Wordle game Without her the Complaints Team will never be the same

So wish her good luck for a well-earned rest

As I am sure you’ll agree she’s simply the best.

Karen Malpas

Karen Malpas has retired from her role at the Trust after nearly 20 years. She started out as a medical secretary in July 2002 at Seacroft Hospital. Following centralisation, the small urology offices at Seacroft Hospital merged with St James’s Urology department in 2006, and Karen transferred to become Mr Joyce’s full-time secretary. Throughout the past 20 years Karen has work for multiple consultants and is regarded as a valued member of the secretarial team. Her team said: “Karen’s extensive knowledge and experience will leave a large gap for us to fill within the department and green team. Karen will be missed by all her work colleagues and friends and we would like to take the opportunity to thank her for her extensive contribution to patients and staff within her team. We would like to wish Karen a happy, healthy retirement.”