A Medical Secretary who started her NHS career at the age of 17 is celebrating 50 years at West Herts Hospitals Teaching Hospitals - having dedicated her entire working life to a single department and one Trust.
Pauline Wingate’s career began in April 1974 after completing her medical secretary training at West Herts College in Watford. Shortly afterwards, she joined the Rheumatology department at Peace Memorial Hospital, which at the time consisted of just one consultant.
Today, Pauline manages the medical secretary team for Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Diabetes at Watford General Hospital, supporting five consultants and a service that has grown far beyond anything imagined in those early days.
This year has been particularly memorable for Pauline. She marked her 50th anniversary at West Herts with a celebration at Sopwell House in St Albans, where her very first consultant, now in his 80s, joined her colleagues to honour her five decades of service.
Throughout her career, Pauline - who lives in Hemel Hempstead - has earned respect through the relationships she has built. For more than half a century, she has supported tens of thousands of rheumatology patients, becoming a trusted and inspirational figure across the Watford community.
Pauline said: “Some of the greatest changes have come with the expansion of the service I’ve worked in since the start of my career. There have been major advancements in the treatment of patients with inflammatory diseases, along with a vast increase in the number of patients we care for.”
Over the years, Pauline has become a familiar and trusted name to local GPs, patients, and colleagues across the NHS, with many knowing Pauline by first name. She was also recently named a finalist for a Star of Herts Award, the Trust’s annual staff recognition event, reflecting the lasting impact she has made on so many.
The Trust, which manages Watford General, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans City Hospitals, recently held its Long Service Awards to recognise staff who have completed more than 15 years of service.
The event celebrates workforce milestones across West Herts and the wider NHS, with five colleagues marking 45 years of service and a further six celebrating 40 years at the Trust.
This year, the number of staff eligible for a Long Service Award represented a combined total of around 2,700 years of NHS service.