MEMBERS OF the NHS Retirement Fellowship met at the College of Nursing and Midwifery in Kirkcaldy yesterday to share stories of their service as part of NHS Fife’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

The group was made up of retired nurses and administrative staff, who brought along old photographs and newspaper clippings from their career history.

Some of the former employees began their training in 1948 when the NHS first began, such as Christine Scott who worked at Craigtoun Hospital in St Andrews as a midwife.

She said, “In those days we would receive mothers who had been discharged from Forth Park Hospital and we would look after them in what was called the ‘lying in period,’ where the new mother would stay in hospital for six to seven days.

“Of course there have been many other changes since then, and fortunately newborn babies benefit from the best medical advances which weren’t on offer then.”

Fife branch secretary Evelyn Brunton said, “The 60th celebrations have been a great incentive to celebrate the achievements and track records of retired staff who in some cases have a lifetime of memories of working for the NHS.”