Wendy Smeeton is a Hepatitis C operational delivery network co-ordinator/analyst. She joined CUH in 1994 as a personal assistant. Here Wendy tells us more about the 30 years she's worked with us and the changes she's seen in her profession.
What is your name and your role in our hospitals?
My name is Wendy Smeeton and I'm a Hepatitis C operational delivery network co-ordinator/analyst.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The variety of projects that I get involved in. Networking with other people in my role from elsewhere in the country.
Tell us a bit about your CUH journey.
I qualified as an AMSPAR medical secretary in 1986. AMSPAR is a Professional Membership and Health Academy which provides a range of professional qualifications including a healthcare training programmes aimed at non-clinical medical administration, team leading and management staff.
My first job in the NHS was as PA to a consultant child psychiatrist and his team at Brookside Child and Family Clinic in Cambridge. I then had a few years in industry before returning to the NHS after being made redundant in February 1994. My total service to the NHS is in excess of 30 years!
I joined Addenbrooke’s Hospital in March 1994 as a PA to Dr Graeme Alexander, consultant hepatologist, in the Liver Transplant team as a ‘stop gap’ job after redundancy. I fell in love with working with the hepatology/liver transplant team so stayed.
Apart from working as a ward clerk on Lady Mary Ward for seven years, when my children were young, I’ve spent the rest of my time in hepatology/liver transplant.
In October 2016 I hung up my headphones and moved to my current role, leaving my PA duties behind me.
Tell us about a case study/experience at CUH that really stands out to you.
I have a bank of happy memories of my time working in the hepatology/transplant team.
Some of the happiest include helping a patient, who had to have an emergency liver transplant, to be able to see her baby daughter. Over the years I’ve been kept up to date on how both mother and daughter are progressing. The baby is now working for the NHS!
I was allowed into theatre to watch Professor Peter Friend as he performed a liver transplant which was amazing. To be able to stand at his side and watch the surgery was a privilege.
Working with Professor Chris Watson, I arranged both the 40th and 50th anniversary events marking the first successful liver transplant performed by the late Professor Sir Roy Calne.
To see all the pioneers of liver transplantation in one place and hear their experiences of setting up the liver transplant programme was inspiring.
Seeing the patients return to meet their surgeons during the afternoon tea party was a delight.
At the Rosie, I recall happy times trying to make the long stay antenatal women’s experience less boring. The joy seeing those women welcome their much longed for babies was heart-warming; especially the lady who welcomed triplets!
Being asked to dress as WonderWoman and release balloons on Parker’s Piece to promote organ donation is a stand out moment!
I have worked with some amazing doctors, surgeons, nurses, midwives and administrators during my 30 years. It’s challenging working in the NHS but amazing working with wonderful colleagues.
How do you feel your role benefits our patients?
I have never been in any doubt that the medical secretarial/PA/admin team are a vital part of the patient journey. The ability to speak to a human when a patient rings is something that is fundamental to providing excellent patient care.
My current role involves ensuring that patients with Hepatitis C get equitable access to testing, treatment and care. The team work with some very disadvantaged members of society. It is immensely rewarding.
What is the most notable thing that has changed at CUH in your time working here?
Firstly, I started working at Addenbrooke’s Hospital not Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
I have seen the introduction of HISS and then Epic for electronic patient records where all patient-related information is documented and accessed. The disappearance of the physical paper patient record and the emptiness of the medical records library.
I have seen ‘Honest Paul’s’ shop in the concourse disappear to be replaced by global chains.
The original staff canteen which was for staff only has disappeared. The dismay that Burger King was opening on site (29 years ago!) and the fact that it is still here.
The continual building on site and disappearance of green spaces.
The rise in parking costs and lack of parking spaces.
The move to hybrid working and lack of human interaction.
What is the most notable thing that has changed in your profession/career in the years you’ve worked in the NHS?
The introduction of Epic has changed the working life of a medical secretary/PA. To have access to patient information at your fingertips rather than chasing volumes of physical paper notes around the site has made an enormous difference to delivering excellent patient care.
When I joined Dr Alexander in 1994 the viruses hepatitis A and hepatitis B were identified. A new further virus known as non-A non-B hepatitis was evident. That virus is now called hepatitis C. My role currently is working towards elimination of hepatitis C by 2025, ahead of the World Health Organisation’s target of 2030.
When I finish my career in the NHS, the hepatitis C virus will have been eliminated. I think that is something quite extraordinary.