After an NHS career spanning more than 33 years, self-confessed “people person” Jo Green has worked her last day in the office at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
Jo is an Information Governance Support Officer, a role she has been in since December 2022 at Walsall Manor Hospital. Before that she worked as a progress chaser on Ward 29, ensuring patient flow and timely discharges and liaising with families and colleagues in community and hospital teams.
She started her NHS career back in 1992 after initially working in a bank. She was a GP receptionist and progressed to Practice Manager before moving to Walsall Healthcare in 2018.
Jo was working on Ward 29 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time she recalls as “challenging” but which also made her feel “proud.”
“Ward 29 was initially the Covid admission ward. There was a lot of fear and anxiety but the team I worked with was resilient and so very professional, I was very proud of them all,” she said.
“Despite there being little known about the virus in the early days my colleagues put their heads down and gave 110%, focusing on delivering the best possible care they could in such uncertain times.
“Although I was non-clinical, I felt my input was valuable, I was dealing with phone calls from, understandably, very concerned relatives, as visiting was not allowed. From time to time, I would sit and hold the hands of some of the poorly patients just so they felt less alone, it was hard and some of the memories from those days will stay with me forever. If I made a difference to just one patient during the pandemic then I take satisfaction from that.”
Jo, who has four grandchildren, also teamed up with her colleague Suzanne Knighton to set up the Manor Pride Facebook page in 2020, with the aim of supporting staff and the wider community through the pandemic by setting challenges to teams to encourage them to focus on things other than the pandemic.
She also found a new hobby – crafting – and makes wreaths, table and floral decorations and lanterns doing regular craft fayres with her sister Shirley.
Jo admits she will miss her job when she leaves the office for the last time today to start her retirement.
“Having worked since I was 16, not having a job will be a huge change for me. As people may know, I am a “chatty” individual and very much a people person. I will miss the friendship and interaction from the team and the nods and hellos as I walk through the Trust, although I hope that will continue when I do my craft stalls. I won’t miss the 4.30am alarm though!”
She will spend her retirement time doing more crafting, spending time with her family and enjoying leisurely walks, although she may consider volunteering in the future as her community in Pelsall is so important to her.
Sharon Thomas, Head of Information Governance & Data Protection Officer for Walsall Healthcare, said: “Jo’s warm personality and support will be missed by our team but after giving 33 years’ service to the NHS she definitely deserves to take some time for herself now.
“We wish her a happy retirement and thank her for all she has done over the years to make a difference to our patients and staff.”