A dedicated healthcare professional whose career has spanned nursing, midwifery and patient safety is celebrating an incredible milestone after reaching 50 years of service in the NHS.
Janet Alderton, associate director of patient safety at University Hospital Tees, marks half a century of NHS service this month, having started her career as a cadet nurse at Hartlepool General Hospital in September 1976, fresh out of school.
Her golden anniversary comes as healthcare organisations across the world mark World Patient Safety Day, highlighting the importance of keeping patients safe and continually improving care.
From cadet nurse to patient safety leader
Janet began her NHS journey on 5 September 1976, before training at Hartlepool Nursing School and qualifying as a state registered nurse in 1981. After working in emergency care and trauma and orthopaedics at St Hilda’s Hospital, she chose to pursue a career in midwifery, qualifying in 1984 at North Tees General Hospital.
Over the following decades, Janet has worked across maternity services, including the special care baby unit, before becoming involved in risk management and patient safety work. What started as supporting compliance with maternity standards evolved into a lifelong passion for improving patient safety and learning from patient experiences.
Alongside her clinical career, Janet completed a BSc (Hons) in Midwifery, Level 7 qualifications to become a supervisor of midwives and a postgraduate certificate in quality and improvement.
Since 2005, she has held patient safety leadership roles, progressing from patient safety lead for family health services to her current position as associate director of patient safety.
Reflecting on her rewarding career, Janet said:
“I am passionate about getting things right the first time for our patients and looking for ways to help them stay safe in our care. Equally important is how we support patients and staff when things don’t go well.
“While we are involved in some very difficult cases, no two days are the same. It is such a feeling of success when improvements identified through learning are implemented and we can see a positive impact.
“I love working with colleagues across both trusts who are as passionate as I am about patient safety and quality. Seeing patient safety develop into a recognised profession and the progress being made nationally gives me great confidence for the future.”
“I nearly joined the Navy as a nurse, but looking back at the last 50 years, working in the NHS and seeing it develop has been an honour and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Janet’s colleagues gathered to celebrate the milestone, where gastroenterology consultant Deepak Dwarakanath presented her with gifts and a celebratory card. (Pictured above: Deepak with Janet at the event.)
As we mark World Patient Safety Day, it is particularly fitting to celebrate someone whose dedication has helped shape safer care for patients and supported colleagues across our organisation.
From her first days as a cadet nurse in a canary-yellow uniform to leading patient safety across the organisation, Janet’s career reflects five decades of dedication, compassion and continuous improvement, leaving a legacy that will benefit patients for generations to come.
