With a special exhibition taking place in the autumn to mark Ealing Hospital’s 45 years, one member of staff who has worked there since it opened in 1979 is still there today.
Jenny Ashe started work as a part-time receptionist on the weekend before the hospital, which is now run by London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, admitted its first patient in 1979.
Ms Ashe explains: “My first task was to go to A&E and copy the admissions into a big book. I’d take that back to reception and use it to direct visitors asking about people being treated in the hospital. There were no computers in those days. It was all pen and paper.
“I enjoyed working at the hospital so much that when I got a full-time job with an electronics firm, I still did my weekend shifts at Ealing.”
“I later moved to A&E as a front desk receptionist and am still working in the department as a medical secretary 45 years later.”
Front-of-house triage nurses weren’t around back in the day and Ms Ashe would take patients’ details and direct them to wait in the blue line for minor ailments or the red line for chest and head pains.
She used her initiative to jump the queue on more than one occasion including carrying a baby to resus and rushing outside to check on a young man slumped semi-unconscious in a car before calling for medical help.
Ms Ashe explained: “I did consider retraining as a nurse for a while but with three young children felt I had left it too late. However, one of my colleagues in reception did take the plunge and join the profession which was brilliant.
“Ealing has always been such a friendly place to work. I have so many happy memories here and it is nice to know you work somewhere that makes a difference. I’m part-time again now but haven’t even thought about retirement.”
