Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Ronnie bows out after four decades
HE was part of the original team of porters when Ninewells Hospital opened, wheeling the first patient through its doors in 1974.
Now Ronnie Stewart is retiring from an NHS Tayside career spanning more than four decades.
Colleagues, friends and senior managers gathered at the hospital to say goodbye and celebrate his long service.
Born in Dundee, Ronnie became a porter in 1969 and spent a few years working at Dundee Royal Infirmary. He then volunteered, with other porters, to help prepare the wards for patients for the opening of the newly-built Ninewells.
Ronnie has held a number of positions over the years, ranging from general porter, chargehand porter and assistant general services manager for portering to his final position of assistant locality manager/transport manager.
Ninewells has grown in size with various departments and extensions to accommodate improvements and developments in heath care since the 1970s.
It would be fair to say that Ronnie has probably walked every inch of the hospital. He said: “Over the years I have had the privilege of working with a great bunch of people and I will be leaving the NHS with many happy memories.
“From my first portering job at DRI and up until my last post, I never forgot that I was here for the patients as I kept that thought foremost in my mind in everything I did. As you would expect, after a career lasting 48 years it has been a learning curve — some might say a very long learning curve — but I can honestly say I have grown up with Ninewells and the hospital has grown up around me.
He added: “Working as a porter definitely kept me fit and I would guess the number of steps I have taken in my work over the years runs into the millions so I may have to take up golf again to help keep my steps up.
“I know when I am happily retired I will spend many moments thinking about my time in the health service and all the staff I have worked with, and reflect on all the good times we shared.”
NHS Tayside’s chief operating officer Lorna Wiggin thanked Ronnie for his long and dedicated service and presented him with gifts on behalf of his colleagues and the organisation. She said: “The large turnout of staff here is testament to the high regard in which Ronnie is held.”