'Life is worth living to the full and helping as many others as you can along the way' says Black Country nurse retiring after 52 years

Senior infection prevention and control nurse Loraine Priest is retiring after 52 years of service at Sandwell hospitals and latterly at the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which provides community healthcare services in the Black Country boroughs.

The mother of two joined the NHS as a nurse cadet, aged 16, back in 1973, before completing her nurse training in 1978. She built her career in Sandwell, caring for patients as a general nurse in Edward Street Hospital and then Sandwell Hospital. It was infection prevention and control, however, where she found her passion and she has worked in the field for the past 30 years, which brought her to the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Loraine, who is from Cradley Heath, said: “I never realised right at the beginning I would be a nurse for 52 years. I think it’s quite a personal achievement. It’s been a whole learning pathway; you don’t qualify as a nurse and then it stops. 

"It’s so important to make improvements for patients and help to support the health and wellbeing of staff, you move with the times and are always learning something new. 

“Teamwork makes the NHS a really special place to work, and what makes it so brilliant is how staff pull together, especially in difficult circumstances.”  

Through her many years in nursing Loraine is no stranger to celebrating the milestone years of the NHS. Among the highlights was 2008 when she was invited to the 60th anniversary commemorations held at Westminster Abbey in London, an experience she described as a “privilege”.  

“It hasn’t always been an easy journey for me as I’ve juggled being a mother of two with her full-time nursing career and training, but it's thanks to the support of my family that I’ve been able to achieve my goals.

“I’m so proud to have worked as a nurse, but the main thing I will miss are the people I work with. I’m looking forward to no more Monday mornings - even though I have been partially retired for 10 years now, I know I can fill my days very easily and I will be booking more holidays in 2026 and beyond, as I love to travel.

"I definitely will not be sitting down and doing nothing. life is worth living to the full and helping as many others as you can along the way.”

Loraine’s role in infection prevention and control (IPC) is essential to protect the health of patients and reduce infections. The 68-year-old and her team have been playing a key role in ensuring Black Country communities stay safe from infections, making IPC nurses vital in safeguarding public health, especially during flu season and the Covid-19 pandemic.  Loraine and her team celebrated her retirement with a party at Bushey Fields Hospital, which her husband, Simon also attended.

Loraine and Simon also celebrated their 52nd anniversary on December 13.