Reflecting on her lifelong connection with the NHS, Denise said: “Working for the NHS has been an absolute joy and a privilege. After 65 years I’m still full of energy and ready for my next challenge!”
“I joined in 1961 as a medical secretary when I was 18. In those days the job was really prestigious, as was working for the hospital.” Denise’s early years at the Trust were shaped by some of the most influential clinicians of their time.
Her first appointment as a medial secretary was to Professor John Goligher, Professor of Surgery who gave her this advice and this stayed with her throughout her career: “We are here because we are working, patients are here because they are ill and may not always behave as they would if they were fit and well. Make allowances.” Every week Denise attended Professor Goligher’s outpatient clinics, he encouraged her to sit with patients, get to know their families, and help them feel less frightened, an early glimpse of the pastoral gifts she would later bring to chaplaincy.
She also remembers in her training days the lighter side of hospital life, including a consultant theatrically throwing his notes across the room, with assistants expected to catch them – a reminder of how much the workplace has changed.
In the 1960s, it was common and in many workplaces effectively mandatory, for women to leave their jobs once they became pregnant, as formal maternity leave simply didn’t exist, and Denise stepped away from the Trust to raise her two children. She returned as soon as she could, rejoining in 1979 as a medical secretary in the Plastic Surgery Department. Her dedication was quickly recognised, and she was named Medical Secretary of the Year for Yorkshire and the North East of England.
In around the year 2000, Denise became a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Officer in the Trust’s newly established service, supporting patients and staff with informal concerns. She later moved to the newly formed Overseas Team, investigating requests for NHS treatment from abroad, and within a year was promoted to manager of the Overseas and Private Patients Service, a role she held until her retirement in 2013. As Denise herself says, she never truly retired: “My life has been lived backwards. Because I had to give up working when I had children, I’ve too much to catch up on. That’s why I don’t want to stop working now. I never really stopped, and I think that’s given me more energy.”
In 2014, Denise returned to the Trust as a volunteer visitor with the Chaplaincy Department and, encouraged by colleagues, she went back to university at the age of 70 to complete a master’s degree in NHS Chaplaincy in Health and Social Care, a testament to her lifelong commitment to learning and service. She said: “When I was offered the opportunity to consider studying, I was initially in disbelief as I thought it was too late in my career. However, after learning more about the course, although a little nervous, I felt it was the right time for me to do this, it was now or never!”
Now, as an Honorary Chaplain here at the Trust, she provides pastoral, spiritual and religious care to patients, their families and carers, supporting people of all faiths and those with no faith as they navigate illness, pain, loss and grief. Denise reflects on her role: “Pastoral care is about being present with a patient and listening in a non‑judgmental way. It is about being able to reach out, forgetting yourself and giving yourself to the patient and their needs, regardless of your own feelings or beliefs. I still feel useful, and I hope I am making a difference.”
Her words reflect the heart of her work, offering comfort, dignity and human connection at some of the most vulnerable moments in a person’s life. Family Liaison Nurse Chloe Fisher said that, “as an Honorary Chaplain, Denise provides exceptional support to the children and families she meets. Many of the children in the Trust’s care are very poorly, and the situations their families face can be overwhelming. Denise brings calm, compassion and genuine human connection to those moments, offering reassurance when it is needed most and making a profound difference to the children and the families who stand beside them.”
Brendan Brown, Trust Chief Executive, said:
“Denise is a valued and much-loved member of the Chaplaincy team, bringing compassion, wisdom and unwavering dedication to every person she meets. Her 65-year journey with the Trust is a rare and remarkable achievement and an inspiration to colleagues across our organisation. I would like to thank her personally for her extraordinary service, commitment and kindness over the decades. The positive impact she has made on patients, families and colleagues is immeasurable, and her legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Trust for many years to come.”
Chloe further added that “Denise’s positive energy, sparkle and love of life brighten the unit every day. She not only supports families but also looks after the nursing team, checking in on colleagues and making sure they are coping. Nothing is ever too much trouble for her, and she always goes the extra mile, bringing sunshine onto the unit and lifting the spirits of everyone around her.”
Denise’s next plan is not to retire but to take on a new chaplaincy role within the Trust’s Women’s and Children’s services, “I never think of retiring, as I enjoy my work too much. It is a joy and a privilege to be a hospital chaplain, and I believe it was meant to be. I just live in the present and I’m grateful for all the support and opportunities that have come my way. My family and friends have not been too surprised about me taking on a new role as they know how much I like a challenge and have always been very supportive of my roles within the Trust.”