After 30 years’ service Newborn Hearing Screener Joan Ball is retiring today and looking forward to a well-deserved rest.

Joan started at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust in 1991, primarily as a Health Care Assistant on the Postnatal Ward Primrose. Then, in 2004 she joined the Newborn Hearing Screening where she has worked ever since.

The great-grandmother said: “the highlight of my career has been all of it. I’ve truly enjoyed every minute of it. 30 years have gone very quickly!

“It was lovely seeing all the mums and babies when I used to work on maternity.

“It has been a pleasure to work with all my colleagues and I am very lucky.”

When asked what she will miss the most Joan, aged 65, said: “I will miss all the girls I have worked with and miss all the babies too. We have had such nice times together and I will cherish them forever.”

Her colleagues said: “We will miss her very much and would like to congratulate her as a wonderfully kind and caring person, whose laughter and empathy shone through, even in the darkest times.”

During her retirement she will be looking after her family especially her six great-grandchildren, doing some gardening and hopefully going on holiday.