Hartlepool nurse retires after 50 years on the NHS front line

Sue Pounder, 68, who is from Hartlepool, began her career in nursing in Newcastle in 1972 at the age of just 17.

After working in a number of hospitals around the region, Sue made the move to Hartlepool in 2003 to begin her job with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

Sue worked at the University Hospital of Hartlepool for eight years before relocating to Stockton’s University Hospital of North Tees – working in the accident and emergency department.

Now, almost 20 years after joining the trust, she is saying farewell to her “family” of colleagues.

Sue said: “I’ve loved the job. This has been my life for the past 50 years.

“I’m going to miss everyone. All these people have been like family to me. There were people who were just starting out in their career when I started here and I’ve watched them throughout their journey to where they are now.”

She added: “I’ve watched them get married and have families. In many ways, we have all grown up together.”

Now that she is retired, Sue says she is simply looking forward to spending time with her family and relaxing after so many years in the front line with the NHS.

Sue added: “There is a lot about the job that I will miss but I have to say that I’m certainly not going to miss having to get up at quarter past five in the morning every day, although that is probably going to take some getting used to.”

Sue’s colleagues in the emergency department bid her an emotional farewell to her – sending her into retirement with cards, flowers, balloons and moving words.

A spokesman for the trust – which runs the University Hospital of Hartlepool, the University Hospital of North Tees as well as Peterlee Community Hospital – said: “Sue will be a much missed presence in the North Tees emergency department and will be missed by all of her colleagues.”