Worthing Hospital midwives in triple retirement

Friends and colleagues said a fond farewell to Sue Brooks, from Shoreham, Judy Street, from Worthing, and Helena Rose, from Lancing, at the Windsor House Hotel last Thursday (September 20).

Fellow staff say they will miss the senior midwives' "vast experience, knowledge and commitment, not to mention their friendship".

The three women, all 59, have worked in the hospital for a combined 116 years, 70 of them in the maternity department.

Sue Brooks started working with Worthing and Southlands Hospital in 1965 as a nursing cadet before being trained as a registered general nurse and later specialising in paediatrics.

Sue embarked on her midwifery training in 1987. She has now completed 20 years in the department with the last 14 involved in the community aspect of midwifery.

Judy Street started at the hospital in 1971 working in medical records. In 1977 she started her training as a registered general nurse, quickly moving on to her midwifery training in 1980, completing it in 1981.

In 1982 Judy became a community midwifery sister. She has now completed 26 years as a midwife at Worthing.

Helena Rose arrived at the hospital as an already experienced midwife in 1983 after qualifying in 1971.

She became a ward sister in 1985 before moving out into the community in 1995.

She has continued in the community ever since and has now completed 24 years as a midwife at Worthing.

All three midwives agreed the best part of the job was "the amazing mums and seeing the end product '“ the babies".