Forty years ago, Walsall Manor looked very different to the hospital that stands today as Ruth Green, who started her NHS career way back then, recalls.

The West Wing and other areas didn’t even exist. Today West Wing is where Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) takes pride of place, along with a series of wards.

Ruth, a Medical Secretary who retired from the Trust this week after four decades of service, started work in healthcare as a 17 year old, straight out of college.

“Back then, the Trust contacted the college in search of suitable candidates to work at the hospital,” she said. “I was one of them.”

“I started in the Surgical Day Unit in 1985 and, over the years, I’ve worked in various clerical roles across multiple departments. For the past 19 years, I’ve been a Medical Secretary in Gastroenterology and we’re a great team.

“I enjoy the interaction I’ve had over the years with our patients – from offering reassurance sometimes if they’re worried, to enjoying a laugh and joke with them. And the relationships we build up with the clinical teams I will also look back on fondly.”

Ruth has also worked in Endoscopy and diabetes and her colleagues have described her as an “oracle” because of the knowledge she has built up.

Charlotte Sutton, Medical Secretary in Gastroenterology, said: “Though I’ve only worked with Ruth for a couple of months, it was clear from the start just how integral she is to the team. She’s like the ‘oracle’ of Gastro – the go-to person for everything. We will all miss her, and we wish her nothing but the best in her well-deserved retirement.”

Ruth says she will miss everyone at the Trust but is looking forward to relaxing a little more. She is a volunteer for a youth charity and may become more involved in that.