'I’ve comforted patients in Leeds for the last six decades – and I still love every day'
Meet Denise Jones - her career has spanned decades at hospitals in Leeds and she has no plans to retire
When Denise Jones first walked through the doors of Leeds General Infirmary as a trainee medical secretary in 1961, the Beatles had yet to release their first single and maternity leave didn’t exist.
But sixty-five years later, the 83-year-old is still serving patients and families - and has no plans to retire.
Denise continues to serve the Trust as an Honorary Chaplain, spending much of her time supporting patients, families and colleagues within Leeds Children’s Hospital, extending a career that began 65 years ago when she joined the Trust as a trainee medical secretary in June 1961 at just 18 years old.
She said: “Working for the NHS has been an absolute joy and a privilege. After 65 years I’m still full of energy and ready for my next challenge.
“I joined in 1961 as a medical secretary when I was 18. In those days the job was really prestigious, as was working for the hospital.”
She also remembers in her training days the lighter side of hospital life, including a consultant theatrically throwing his notes across the room, with assistants expected to catch them – a reminder of how much the workplace has changed.
In the 1960s, it was common and in many workplaces effectively mandatory, for women to leave their jobs once they became pregnant, as formal maternity leave simply didn’t exist, and Denise stepped away from the Trust to raise her two children.
She re-joined in 1979 as a medical secretary in the Plastic Surgery Department and she was named Medical Secretary of the Year for Yorkshire and the North East of England.
In 2000, Denise became a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Officer in the Trust’s newly established service, supporting patients and staff with informal concerns.
She later moved to the newly formed Overseas Team, investigating requests for NHS treatment from abroad, and within a year was promoted to manager of the Overseas and Private Patients Service, a role she held until her retirement in 2013. A
She said she never truly retired: “My life has been lived backwards. Because I had to give up working when I had children, I’ve too much to catch up on.
“That’s why I don’t want to stop working now. I never really stopped, and I think that’s given me more energy.”
In 2014, Denise returned to the Trust as a volunteer visitor with the Chaplaincy Department and, encouraged by colleagues, she went back to university at the age of 70 to complete a master’s degree in NHS Chaplaincy in Health and Social Care.
Now, as an Honorary Chaplain, she provides pastoral, spiritual and religious care to patients, their families and carers, supporting people of all faiths and those with no faith as they navigate illness, pain, loss and grief.
She said: “Pastoral care is about being present with a patient and listening in a non‑judgmental way. It is about being able to reach out, forgetting yourself and giving yourself to the patient and their needs, regardless of your own feelings or beliefs. I still feel useful, and I hope I am making a difference.”
Brendan Brown, Trust Chief Executive, said: “Denise is a valued and much-loved member of the Chaplaincy team, bringing compassion, wisdom and unwavering dedication to every person she meets.
“Her 65-year journey with the Trust is a rare and remarkable achievement and an inspiration to colleagues across our organisation. I would like to thank her personally for her extraordinary service, commitment and kindness over the decades.
“The positive impact she has made on patients, families and colleagues is immeasurable, and her legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Trust for many years to come.”
Denise’s next plan is not to retire but to take on a new chaplaincy role within the Trust’s Women’s and Children’s services, and added: “I never think of retiring, as I enjoy my work too much.
“It is a joy and a privilege to be a hospital chaplain, and I believe it was meant to be. I just live in the present and I’m grateful for all the support and opportunities that have come my way.
“My family and friends have not been too surprised about me taking on a new role as they know how much I like a challenge and have always been very supportive of my roles within the Trust.”