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Two Careers - One Commitment
Written by Communications Team   

Ally and Ruth Lallmahomed retire from the Trust today (24-07-09) and although they are looking forward to their new life their commitment to using their skills to serve others has not come to an end! They will have a break and catch-up with visiting people and places they have wanted to see for a long time and then they may look at small project work, or undertaking voluntary work abroad.

They both had other jobs before coming into the NHS; Ruth as a drawing office assistant and Ally in retailing in Mauritius. They met while working in psychiatry in Somerset. Ruth had been a healthcare assistant, qualifying as a Registered Mental Nurse in 1977 and an SRN in 1979. Ally was just a few years behind her, qualifying as an RMN in 1980 and a Registered Nurse in 1983.


Said Ally, Head of Nursing Acute Services: "When I started my general nursing in 1981 I was one of a very few male nurses joining adult nursing at the time. I wanted to care for people and I wanted a challenging profession. Whether you are male or female you bring your own talent to the profession.

"Within the nursing profession there is not only the job satisfaction that a nursing career can provide but also the opportunities that the profession can bring. I have found nursing to be a fulfilling, challenging rewarding and wholly enjoyable profession."

He joined St. Peter's Hospital as a Charge Nurse on the Coronary Care Unit in 1988. He continued to study gaining two Masters Degrees; an MSc in Research & Evaluation and an MBA. Within the Trust Ally was instrumental in successfully seeing that the reconfiguration of the wards from Ashford to St. Peter's Hospital went ahead smoothly, and in recognition of that large and demanding work he received the 2006 Peter Adams Award for Exceptional Work in the Trust.


Ruth joined Ashford Hospital as a Medical Ward Sister (D8) where Tesco's check-out now stands! She continued her studies gaining a BSc. Ruth became Interim Director of Nursing at Ashford for a year before the two Trusts merged, later becoming Deputy Director of Nursing and Quality. With the focus on Governance and Quality compliance the Trust gained the HQS (Health Quality Stand Accreditation and CNST Level 2 (Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts) under her guidance.

Ruth became the Trust's Associate Director of Nursing in October 2006 and in that role has focused on organisational and practice development ensuring that the highest level of professional practice and standards of patient care are achieved and maintained. At the same time she gained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Care Studies.

From September 2008 to May 2009 Ruth acted as Director of Nursing and Governance for the Trust.


Work on improving the patients experience by reducing mixed sex accommodation has been an on-going responsibility for her which has recently accelerated.

Said Ruth: "The hard work of the Matrons and the Capacity Managers, together with additional money from the Department of Health has now driven things forward, which is very encouraging. The Trust is set to present to the Department of Health on 6 August on bed and improving privacy and dignity for patients and how the Trust has progressed the elimination of mixed sex accommodation.

"It is the whole of the team that makes things happen and not just one individual and I have been very privileged to work with a great number of excellent teams over the years."
Last Updated ( Friday, 24 July 2009 10:36 )