Nurse of 53 years from Cornwall joins NHS birthday event

Mental health nurse Lesley Beresford joined the NHS in 1970

A nurse who started working more than 50 years ago was among 10 health workers representing Cornwall at a service for the NHS's 75th anniversary.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined 1,500 health workers at the Westminster Abbey event.

Among guests on Wednesday was mental health nurse Lesley Beresford, whose career began in 1970.

Senior government, political and health leaders also attended.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, were among senior politicians who attended.

Mental health Lesley Beresford said she would "do it all again"

Lesley Beresford

Mental health nurse Lesley Beresford will soon celebrate 53 years working for the NHS.

Ms Beresford joined the service ranks in 1970, in the social therapy department of St Lawrence's Hospital, now Bodmin Hospital.

Initially a mental health nurse and later a team leader, she will celebrate her own anniversary on 24 September 2023.

She told the BBC: "Would I do it all again? Yes I, would.

"This was a really good career, it was just so rewarding. It's just in your soul."

LISTEN: Mental health nurse Lesley on her years in the NHS

Ms Beresford's first role was on the female acute admission ward, covering everything from temperature checks and bowel charts, to cleaning out lockers, windows and floors, the NHS said.

She was later ward sister, night sister and community psychiatric nurse, before joining the newly formed Continuing Health Care team.

In 2022, she became a team leader for older people's mental health in Cornwall.

Of her first role, she added: "It was a safe haven for people with severe and enduring mental health problems.

"You never knew when matron was going to come and she would check your beds to see if the corners were right.

"She would measure with her measuring stick if the sheets had been folded down to the correct length".

GP Jim Huddy is working to advise other doctors on the dangers of opioid medicines

Dr Jim Huddy

Dr Jim Huddy, a Perranporth GP, has dedicated years to raising awareness of how to "de-medicalise" pain management for people with chronic pain.

Dr Huddy writes advice and guidance for other GPs across Cornwall, informing them of the dangers of opioid medicines.

The NHS said Cornwall's "high prescribing has dropped down to national average levels" as a result of his work.

Dr Huddy, who leads the Chronic Pain in Cornwall team, has also set up a network of pain cafes across Cornwall.

Sarah Tilston knew she wanted to work with children "doing something medical" when she joined the NHS in 1984

Sarah Tilston

A leaflet about the treatment of eye disorders in her school's "careers drawer" in 1984 was all the inspiration Sarah Tilston needed to join the NHS.

Ms Tilston said: "I joined the NHS to make a difference for children and I hope that that is my legacy".

She qualified as an orthoptist in 1987, the NHS said.

She later became Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.

Her role has been to "improve the experience of children and young people with SEND who also have health needs", the NHS said.

It added: "She has received two awards for innovation, for ensuring that children with special needs could access appropriate eye tests and for improving the quality of health information for education, health and care plans."

Dr Allison Hibbert is leading a project to make dementia "everybody's business"

Dr Allison Hibbert

Dr Allison Hibbert is leading a project to make dementia "everybody's business".

With 25 years of NHS services under her belt, Dr Hibbert started as a physiotherapist support worker and phlebotomist before qualifying as a doctor in London in 2003, the NHS said.

Dr Hibbert is GP clinical lead for dementia for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, and chairs the Cornwall Dementia Partnership.

She was working with system partners across health, social care and the voluntary sector, championing for improvements in dementia diagnosis and care in Cornwall and wanting to make dementia "everyone's business", the NHS added.

Dr Hibbert has worked with colleagues from Healthwatch Cornwall and memory cafes to gather views of carers and people living with dementia to help shape services.