NHS Forth Valley: Stenhousemuir nurse Patricia Beattie retires after 50 years in NHS

Patricia Beattie has finally decided to call time after her 50 years in healthcare, but admits that she will miss her many patients and all the staff she worked with.

For the last 35 years she has been the practice nurse in Stenhousemuir Health Centre, where she has been a familiar face treating several generations of the same families.

Known as Tricia to many, she recalled how mums would bring their babies and toddlers for vaccinations and she could remember when she vaccinated the mums.

She said: “I feel so lucky to have been a nurse. I can honestly say that I’ve loved my job.”

The grandmother of three also admitted that she never travelled far from her roots throughout her life.

"I was brought up in Stenhouse Castle – and people in the health centre used to nickname me ‘Princess’ – and then we moved into Stenhousemuir,” said Tricia. “I attended St Mungo’s High School, leaving at 16 to work in a post office until I was old enough to begin nursing training at 17 and a half.”

She has fond memories of her time training then working at Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary where she mainly worked in the surgical unit.

However, after marrying and having her two children, she worked on the nurse bank which saw her sent to just about every ward in the hospital at some point.

In the late 1980s she was working in the treatment room at Stenhousemuir Health Centre where she would change dressings for patients.

Tricia added: “In 1989 doctors were taking on practice nurses and the late Dr Crookston asked if I’d like to work with him. The job certainly evolved over the years as I did courses on asthma, COPD, diabetes and more. But I loved every minute of it.”

Following her marriage to Thomas 44 years ago, the couple set up home in Larbert, a point which saw Tricia quip: “There’s a theme here about me sticking to the same things for a long time.”

However, it does mean wherever she goes, she always meets people she knows. “I think I know everyone – and can even name their goldfish.”

The second eldest of a family of eight, she was named after her father’s sister, Patricia, who was a nursing sister in Kent, and he always said that she would follow her namesake into nursing.

"I never thought about doing anything else, but I’ve also never regretted it.”

Two years ago she reduced her working week to two days and now, aged 67, decided it was time to have some time to herself, retiring on April 18.

Tricia hopes to spend more time visiting daughter Nicola and family in Paris, as well as spending time with her son Ryan and his family in Bainsford.

"I’d like to do more travelling but apart from that I’ve not really decided yet. I’ve got a big circle of friends and a large family, so keeping in touch with all of them means I’m a busy lady.”