Nurse, 84, retires after 66 years in NHS
Presenter’s ‘class divide’ anger
EARLY DAYS Monica in 1957 AT WORK On Breakfast with Charlie Stayt A NURSE believed to be one of the longest-serving in the NHS, who has worked for all but four of its 70-year history, has retired.
Monica Bulman was 19 when she began in 1952 – and still wears the belt she got when she qualified as a State Registered Nurse in 1957.
Now 84, she said: “The NHS has been a huge part of my life and I HIGH EARNER Fiona Bruce wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It’s now time to put my fob watch and belt away to spend quality time with all my loved ones.
“Being a nurse has brought me so much pleasure and I have enjoyed every second.”
She recalled theatre nurses having to hand-thread needles for surgery and long waits for patient records now available at the click of a button. She added: “Uniforms have changed considerably though I did prefer our old uniforms, they were much more glamorous.”
The mum-of-two, who trained in London before NOW Monica Bulman moving to Devon, was part of an outpatient endoscopy team at Torbay Hospital. Trust boss Liz Davenport said: “We are incredibly grateful for Monica’s years of dedicated service in the NHS – she is an inspiration to us all.”