A total of nearly 1 500 years of service to Netcare hospitals in the Eastern Cape by 83 employees was celebrated recently at a ceremony held in Port Elizabeth. The event recognised the important contribution made by the staff members who have been working for Netcare Cuyler Hospital in Uitenhage, Netcare Greenacres Hospital in Port Elizabeth, Settlers Hospital in Grahamstown and Port Alfred Hospital for 10, 15, 20 or 25 years. Retiring employees and nominees for the regional Netcare Carer of the Year Award were also acknowledged.
“It is an extraordinary achievement in this day and age where job hopping is common, to have so many long-serving staff members. Each of the 83 individuals in our Eastern Cape region who were honoured have embodied Netcare’s core value of Care for at least a decade, which we think is nothing short of remarkable,” notes Gloria Murison, Netcare area general manager for the Eastern Cape.
One of the employees Netcare honoured was Catherine Devine, who has been with Netcare Cuyler Hospital for 20 years. Catherine’s story is a truly inspirational one, as she started working at the hospital as a cleaner in 1994 and is now an enrolled nurse. “In 2008, Netcare sent me on a three-month healthcare workers course. That was the first step in fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse,” says Catherine. As a healthcare worker, Catherine was responsible for looking after patients who were unable to wash, feed or groom themselves.
Pic: Catherine Devine, enrolled nurse at Netcare Cuyler Hospital in Uitenhage, receives her 20-year long service award from hospital general manager, Walter Kurten. Catherine was one of 83 employees recognised for their collective service of nearly 1 500 years to Netcare in the Eastern Cape.
Deciding to take her career even further a few years later, Catherine studied to become an enrolled nurse and qualified in 2013. Explaining the reasons behind her choice, Catherine notes, “I wanted to acquire more skills which would assist me in caring for my patients, as my interactions with them was the best part of my job. Now I can administer medication to patients to help in their recovery, counsel them when they want advice and provide comfort when they need it. I can confidently say that I am a patient advocate.”
Another recipient of a 20-year long service award was Ragheema Leander, who works at Port Alfred Hospital. Ragheema started as a receptionist at Netcare Cuyler Hospital in 1994, and in 2009 was promoted to human resources (HR) assistant at Port Alfred Hospital. “HR is where I want to be, and I love being part of a small team; we are like a family here where everyone contributes and your efforts are always recognised. I view myself as a shareholder of the company, and therefore believe in always giving my best,” maintains Ragheema.
One of the 25-year long service award recipients was Moira Campbell, a theatre technician at Netcare Greenacres Hospital. Moira distinctly recalls the very first day she walked into the hospital in August 1989. “I had been in South Africa for less than a year, having emigrated from Scotland. I had 10 years’ experience in the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) at a hospital in Kirkcaldy, which I hoped it would stand me in good stead to get a job at the hospital.” Thanks to her unique spark, impressive experience and solid work ethic, Moira was hired on the spot as a technician and started on her path towards a successful career.
Moira’s enthusiasm for her work, as well as her unwavering commitment to the hospital, did not go unnoticed and she was consistently promoted. After 11 years at Netcare Greenacres Hospital, Moira was given the opportunity to join the theatre team as a theatre technician. Moira then progressed from assisting with minor ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures to assisting with heart bypass surgery, and has been an important member of the cardio theatre team since then.
Having been with the hospital for a quarter of a century now, Moira has seen considerable changes and growth over the years, such as when the clinic became part of the Netcare group in 1997. “Netcare brought about many positive changes for the hospital, and it is wonderful to be a part of such a highly esteemed company. I plan to work for Netcare Greenacres Hospital until I retire; I’m definitely not going anywhere,” notes Moira.
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Issued by: Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of Netcare
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Sarah Wilson or Jillian Penaluna
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
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