Groote Schuur honours long-serving staff

Groote Schuur Hospital honoured its long-serving staff at a special awards ceremony - marking 20, 30 and 40-year milestones.

The award ceremony took place at the Cape Town Chinese School hall in Observatory on Thursday May 18 with comedian Dalin Oliver as MC and special performances by Jeodhouse and Craig Lucas.

The keynote speaker, head of health in the province Dr Keith Cloete, said it was an honour to acknowledge and thank the staff of Groote Schuur Hospital.

“We are here to celebrate individuals but also the collective who make the hospital what it is. As head of health, it is my privilege to be a custodian of this responsibility,” he said.

Dr Cloete said the award ceremony took him back to a time when his mother was a patient in the 1980s and he was reminded of the nurses and surgeons who worked on her.

“Looking at the hospital’s latest scores, we scored 80% for work culture, had a 70% department score and when I look around the room - I see why,” he said.

Speaking at the ceremony, nurse Serene Wessels, who received a 40-year certificate, said she had been at the hospital through all its changes. She worked in every department and remembered a time when the hospital was divided into south (whites) and north (coloured and black people).

She started at the hospital in November 1978. After studying further, she became a registered nurse in 1991 and later moved to midwifery.

“I took every opportunity as a learning opportunity. Back in the day, you were moved from department to department and had to adapt,” she said.

Ms Wessels said the most important thing she learnt was respect, for her colleagues and, most importantly, for the patients and their families.

“For me, it is important to treat all patients the way you would want your family to be treated,” she said.

Ms Wessels said communication was important and that all staff played a role in ensuring the hospital ran effectively. She retired in February.

Roy McQuire started as a learner technician in March 1982. Back then, he said equipment was easy to repair with less red tape. During his time, he said he had worked and met many doctors, nurses, professors and surgeons and was also part of various sports and social clubs. Today, he is a chief technician.

He said he loved his job and all the challenges it presented.