Two of our healthcare assistants have been honoured after working at our Trust for a combined 92 years.

Gayleen Harry, from Ilford, and Geeta Bhojraz, from Upminster, have both worked for us since 1978. They were given certificates to celebrate their long service at the London Health Care Support Worker Awards, held earlier this month.

Our healthcare assistants, known as healthcare support workers at other trusts, do a variety of jobs including meeting patients, getting medical notes and acting as chaperones for patients if this is needed.

Gayleen started off in the old Dagenham Hospital aged 18 and she worked in a number of different hospitals including Barking and Goodmayes. She currently works in outpatients at King George Hospital.

Geeta came to the UK from Mauritius when she was 19 years old (pictured below around the same age). Her family moved from Harlow to Upminster before moving to Queen’s Hospital, where she now works on Amber B.

Gayleen said:

You do get a lot of thanks from patients. They remember you and that in itself is a reward. I had a patient that came in and I didn’t recognise him at first and then his daughter came over and said: ‘My Dad said thank you very much, you and your ward looked after him during Covid'.

Geeta said:

Sometimes you see patients out in the community, especially in shops and they come up and say thank you. This job is so rewarding as you work with patients and you make a difference to their lives. 

The pair both thanked their colleagues for all their support over the years.

Our Chief Nurse, Kathryn Halford, said:

Gayleen and Geeta have dedicated some 46 years of their careers to helping patients here at BHRUT.

I can only guess the number of patients who they’ve helped over the years and their dedication to our Trust has been inspiring. I would like to thank them both for their long service.

Our Trust is celebrating Nursing Support Workers’ Day, held on Saturday 23 November, which highlights the role that healthcare support workers have.