Nursing is a good profession for any young man or woman who has a caring attitude and a love for humanity – this is the message from a man who joined the National Health Service as a nurse in 1969 when he arrived in England from Mauritius.

Simon Bhadye of Ashford has retired 28 years after joining the staff of Ashford Hospital, which merged with St. Peter’s Hospital in 1998 to form the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust. Simon has been a Royal College of Nursing Steward for 28 years.

Said Simon: “Terms and conditions of service have changed for the better since I started my training. With zeal, ardour, patience and perseverance one can make a good career in nursing.”

Looking back to his arrival in England Simon said: “I joined the NHS in 1969, when I arrived in Winchester, from Mauritius. In those early days being a male nurse was rather frowned upon – one was considered effeminate or gay. Mind you, male nurses were well established in Mauritius. The idea was to come to England, get the prestigious training, the world famous British Nursing Qualification, and go back home to look after my fellow countrymen. However, having done one set of training, I wanted to better myself and do further training.”

For the next ten years Simon worked, trained and studied in various hospitals and universities:

·          Royal Hampshire County Hospital – Winchester

·          Bronllys Hospital – South Wales

·          Milford Chest Hospital – Godalming, Surrey

·          St Luke’s And Royal Surrey County Hospitals,

·          The University of Surrey University– Guildford, Surrey.

·          The Holloway Sanatorium – Virginia Water, Surrey.

Simon added: “Professionally, I did the Clinical Nurse Practitioners Course in the late 90s at Brunel University in order to enable me to practice at an advanced level because of the reduction in the junior doctors’ hours (European Working Time Directives) I have always kept myself updated with training, development and innovations within my role and the NHS.”

By the time Simon joined Ashford Hospital in October 1979 as a Charge nurse, he had Registered General Nurse, Registered Mental Nurse, British Thoracic Training Association Certificate (BTTA), and Diploma in Nursing after his name. Until 1981, he had been a member of the Confederation of Health Services Employees but in that year he was encouraged by his senior colleagues into becoming a member and Staff Representative of the Royal College of Nursing.

He said: “I have been an RCN Steward for the past 26 years now and have attended RCN Congress for 25 consecutive years. During this time I have also attended numerous courses provided and organised by RCN such as: Industrial Relations; Disciplinary / Appeals; Negotiating skills; Dealing with Media; IWL Assessors Course and Improving Working Lives (IWL) Validation Course, etc. I have carried out IWL Assessment and Validation at other hospital Trusts.

“Over the years, I have supported nurses and other colleagues at Disciplinary and Appeal hearings. I have been a past chairman of the Stewards’ Regional Committee and Regional Coordinating Committee and have represented the views of nurses locally, regionally and nationally. I have been interviewed frequently by local media, radio, Nursing journals and made TV appearances in documentaries and on GMTV - even allowing TV cameras into my home to discuss the Chancellor’s Budget and to publicise an RCN pay campaign. I have seen a few Reorganisations of the NHS during my career. For services to members of the Royal College of Nursing, I was awarded the RCN North West Thames Merit Award in 1998.”

Prior to Ashford Hospital becoming an NHS Trust in 1992, it was part of Hounslow and Spelthorne Health Authority and as aDistrict General Hospital had around 700 beds. As a staff representative Simon worked very closely with the District Management Team.

In 1998 he played a major role in negotiations leading to the merger of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals into one Trust – negotiating with colleagues and producing the “Recognition Document”.  This gave recognition to the 11 different unions and professional bodies in the Trust establishing one steward representative for every 100 members. Simon became Staff Side Chairman in the same year and his first duty was to change the “Trust Council” into the present Joint Staff Consultative Committee – JSCC.

Said Simon: “I would like to think that the Staff Side played a major part in the implementation of the Agenda for Change, the NHS pay modernisation scheme, from 2004 to 2006 through our “Partnership” working.  All of my Staff Side co-workers put in a tremendous number of hours hard work to ensure the best terms of pay and conditions for our colleagues.”

His enthusiasm for his chosen profession has never waned.  Said Simon: “I am very passionate about nursing; it is in my blood. I care about our patients, I care about our staff and colleagues and I care about my family and friends. I will not stop caring even after my retirement. I will not hesitate to stretch a helping hand to any member of staff who would need my assistance or advice.

“Nursing is a good profession for any young man, or lady, who has a caring attitude and a love for humanity. Terms and conditions of service have changed for the better since I started my training. With zeal, ardour, patience and perseverance one can make a good career in nursing.

“I feel very proud to have worked at Ashford and St. Peter’s hospitals and where I have ended my professional career. I am indebted to all those colleagues who helped, advised, supported and assisted me in fulfilling my role as Staff Side Chairman and the Clinical Site Nurse Practitioners colleagues for their diligence, kindness, hard work and above all their professionalism which enabled me to keep nursing while fulfilling these other responsibilities.”

Simon does have a life outside nursing!  He is active in local government and has been a Spelthorne Borough Councillor since 2003.  He is currently deputy Mayor and is set to become Mayor in May 2008. He is also a family man, and his last word is for his family.

Said Simon: “I must acknowledge the love and support I’ve received from my family throughout my career – my wife Candy, who is also a Registered Nurse, my daughter Tara who is studying Bio-Medical Sciences at University and my son Jaysonwho is at college.  Without their encouragement and understanding I would not have been able to achieve many things.”

Lastly, Simon would like to pay tribute to his CSNP colleagues for their diligence, kindness, hard work and above all their professionalism.

And he added: “Thank you very much for the terrific “DO” you laid on for me .All the efforts you put in for that lovely spread, what can I say – The Decanter is taking pride of place in the Display Unit and not in the Drink Cabinet!! Jayson will assist me with downloading all those photos in the Digital Picture Frame. And Debbie, I will put my feet up and lose myself in the Book of Memories and all those nice messages from all my friends at the hospitals.”