Celebrating Estates & Facilities Day 2026

My career journey has taken me through the military, local government, private business and, more recently, the NHS.

I started my working life in the RAF Regiment, serving for eight years in Northern Ireland, Germany and across the UK. After leaving the forces, I moved into local government where I worked in waste and recycling before progressing to Environmental Services Manager, leading waste, street cleaning and grounds maintenance services.

In 2009, I took the opportunity to start my own waste management company, which I ran across Northumberland for several years before selling the business in 2017. After a brief retirement and a period running a maintenance company, I joined Northumbria Healthcare in 2020 as a Maintenance Assistant at NSECH.

I quickly realised how much I enjoyed working within the NHS and was fortunate to progress into an Estates Supervisor role before becoming NHFM’s first dedicated Health and Safety Advisor in 2022. My previous experience, combined with my health and safety qualifications, helped me make that transition.

Looking back, every role has given me valuable experience and skills that have helped shape my career and brought me to where I am today.

I started my career as a multi-skilled engineering apprentice, with my training focused on approximately 60% electrical and 40% mechanical disciplines. As my career progressed, I broadened my technical expertise by training in gas engineering and control systems programming. During my apprenticeship, I was promoted to Planning Engineer, and a few years after completing my qualifications, I progressed into a Lead Engineer role.

Alongside my engineering development, I continued to invest in my professional growth through further training in business improvement techniques, leadership, and management. This combination of technical and managerial experience helped prepare me for more senior roles and enabled me to contribute to both operational performance and organisational development.

When I joined the company in 2002, it was embarking on a significant development and growth program. Over the following 23 and a half years, I played an active role in helping to build and develop the site as the business expanded. As my experience grew, I moved into leadership positions where I was responsible not only for developing my own department but also for training, mentoring, and supporting other managers across the business. I found this aspect of the role particularly fulfilling, as it allowed me to share my knowledge, help others develop, and contribute to the organisation’s long-term success.

I have always been ambitious and motivated to continue developing both personally and professionally. After spending 23 and a half years with the same organisation, I felt I had achieved everything I could there and was ready for a new challenge. That search for a fresh opportunity led me to NHFM, where I saw the opportunity to bring my experience into a new environment while continuing to learn, develop, and make a positive impact.

Why Did You Choose to Join NHFM?

I chose to join NHFM because I could see the potential for a long-term and rewarding career within the organisation. The role offered an exciting opportunity to bring the skills, knowledge, and experience I had developed throughout my career and apply them in a new environment.

What particularly attracted me was the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, contribute to the continued development of the service, and put my own stamp on the role. NHFM’s commitment to supporting healthcare services, combined with its focus on continuous improvement and professional development, made it a natural next step in my career.

What Do You Enjoy About Your Role?

What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to make a difference and have a positive impact. It is rewarding to know that the work we do contributes to the delivery of important services and helps support the wider organisation.

I also really value the culture within NHFM. People treat each other with respect, and there is genuine recognition for the hard work and effort that individuals put in. Being part of an organisation where people feel valued and supported creates a positive working environment and makes it an enjoyable place to work.

Your Experience of Joining and Working Within the Team

My experience of joining and working within the team has been extremely positive. From the outset, I felt welcomed and supported, which made the transition into a new organisation much easier.

I have really enjoyed working at NHFM and being part of a team that is collaborative, professional, and committed to delivering high standards. The culture and people have made a real difference to my experience. In fact, I enjoy what I do so much that it rarely feels like work. Being able to contribute, work alongside great colleagues, and see the positive impact of our efforts makes the role both rewarding and enjoyable.

I started in the catering department from leaving school in December 2004 , I then applied for a domestic position, team-leader then a domestic supervisor. I then applied for a position as a porter at Cramlington hospital best career decision I made, I then applied for a chargehand position at Wansbeck, I am currently the head of portering and security for Wansbeck and help out with the community portering teams too, as well as all of the transport for Wansbeck and community site. 

I have gained serval NVQS within facilities over the years, I have gained a certificate through the Mary Seacole program for management leadership, I have my IOOSH certificate, medical gas certificates and more. I was shortlisted and won the unsung hero award in 2023 a very proud moment for me. Like every job there are challenges however I have amazing support from my line manger Rachel and an amazing team of porters/drivers and security we all work together as a team making the day-to-day tasks manageable.  There is progression within NHFM and additional course available to those wanting to challenge themselves and progress.

I began my career path at Ashington College after initially not achieving the results I had hoped for at school. Starting in engineering, I progressed through my studies to HND level, demonstrating early determination and commitment to personal development.

In 2002, I joined Gateshead Council as an electrician’s mate, working on the rewiring of council properties, including schools and public buildings. Alongside my role, I continued to invest in my education through night classes, both self-funded and employer-sponsored, to build my technical knowledge and skills.

By 2008, I qualified as an electrician, carrying out similar installation and maintenance work across the borough. Between 2009 and 2010, I broadened my experience by working with heating teams, gaining hands-on knowledge in installing pipework, radiators, and domestic boiler systems.

In 2010, I spent a year in street lighting, focusing on repair and maintenance of street furniture and contributing to the rollout of LED lighting across Gateshead.

In 2011, I progressed into a supervisory role as an Electrical Foreman, overseeing electrical teams, designing installations, ordering materials, and ensuring delivery against programme targets across multiple sites.

I was later promoted to Site Manager, where I led multi-trade teams delivering large-scale housing refurbishment schemes. These projects included heating upgrades, full rewires, and kitchen and bathroom installations across large housing estates.

In 2015, I joined Northumbria Police as the Electrical Engineer for the force. In this role, I was responsible for approximately 70 sites spanning from Berwick to Haltwhistle and down to Durham. I acted as the duty holder for electrical systems, ensuring compliance, managing contracts, overseeing asset management, and leading complex projects. The estate included highly specialised facilities such as firearms units, dive schools, and major operational buildings like Forth Banks.

In 2024, I joined NHFM, where I currently work as part of the Estates and Facilities team. This role has provided new challenges and opportunities, and I have quickly found it to be a strong fit for my skills and experience. I enjoy the variety of work and the chance to contribute meaningfully to the organisation. I feel my background adds value to the team, and I would confidently recommend NHFM as a great place to work.

I started working at Ashington General Hospital as an Apprentice Electrician on 3^rd August 1987, the role was created to increase the workforce required for the “new” Wansbeck Hospital that was in the process of being developed.

I moved to Wansbeck Hospital Phase 1 around December 1992 working there as an Electrical craftsman with a selection of the team from Ashington Hospital, the rest of the team remaining at Ashington until it closed around 2003.

In January 2005, after a successful interview I moved to North Tyneside Hospital Estates office to work as a Technical Officer in the Support Services team, during this time I was involved with Asset management, Energy management, Car Parks and Security management, Maintenance Contracts, the Ground and Gardens contract and the NHS Property Services contract monitoring, I also chaired the Travel Plan action Group, The Energy group, I sat on the Estates & Facilities Advisory Committee, I collated the data for the ERIC returns (Estates Returns Information Collection) I delivered some Fire safety training and I was even the Trust lead for Cash Machines!

In 2010, I moved back to Wansbeck Hospital Estates Office to become an Operational Estates Officer for Alnwick Infirmary, Berwick Infirmary and Rothbury Community Hospital, managing 2 small teams of craftsmen, and being involved with the new hospital development planned for Berwick (sadly deferred until recently).

In October 2016, I was seconded to NSECH (still as an Operational Estates Officer), due to long term illness within the team, I subsequently moved there permanently in 2017 working with a new team and a manager I had work for previously at Wansbeck.

In December 2019 I started an acting up role up as Area Estates Officer due to the retirement of my manager this was for 8 months, during the Covid lockdown (which was a challenge!!) until a replacement was appointed in July 2020.

More recently I have become involved with the NSECH building remediation project, liaising with the Capital team, external project managers, and contractor teams to deliver the remedial works required to improve the hospital over the coming years, including the Decant building, Helipad, Water mist suppression system, Drainage and Paving.

During my apprenticeship 1987-1991 and then on until 1996 I completed:

• An EITB basic training course, attending collage full time with day release for my City & Guilds Electrical Installation qualification (236 part 1)
• I subsequently completed all 3 parts of that over 4 years (C&G 236 part 1,2& 3)
• ONC in Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
• HNC in Electrical engineering.

Other courses I have completed during my journey include:

• NVQ level 3 Electrical & Engineering Maintenance
• NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety
• NEBOSH Fire Safety & Risk Management
• Authorised Person – Medical Gas pipeline systems
• Authorised Person – Low Voltage (Electrical)
• Authorised Person – High Voltage (Electrical)
• Responsible Person – Legionella & Water Hygiene Control Within Hot & Cold-Water Systems
• Supervisory Management
• Pressure systems
• Working at Height
• Confined spaces
• Asbestos awareness
• Conflict Resolution
• Functional Skills (Maths & English)

In mid-January 2009, I still remember walking through the hospital doors for the first time. I was very young, just 17 years old and stepping into the NHS felt like a very surreal experience as I knew it was a huge step up from being a misguided teen. I joined as a ‘Bank Porter’ as part of Hotel Services which is now respectfully under the Estates and Facilities Team. Portering was a role I didn’t fully understand at the time, but it was something that would shape me as an individual, professional and peer – it gave me purpose.

From the very beginning I loved everything about it; the pace, unpredictability, versatility, the sense of being needed – it all clicked so fast with me. I understood the urgency and professionalism very early which was due to being taught by reputable, experienced members of staff. They taught me that Portering isn’t just about moving things from A to B, it’s being everybody’s everybody, the backbone; If patients are needing that ‘someone else’ to talk to whilst going for certain appointments, if staff are stretched – talk with them, help them out. I learned quickly that it wasn’t just about the physical effort, it required empathy, communication, resilience and a calm head in moments where others felt overwhelmed. Those years under Estates and Facilities taught me how to talk to people, how to support them, supervise and suggest. I couldn’t be more thankful of all those experiences that made me who I am today.

I completed just short of 15 years, which is a long time in any job, and I genuinely could see me doing it forever, but on reflection and still having youth on my side, I decided to pursue a career in Radiology. I’d received a lot of praise from peers who gave me the nudge I needed to leave my comfort zone and apply for a ‘Trainee Assistant Practitioner’ role in Radiology. I’d spoken to a few people within Radiology and after gaining some insight into the requirements, I was recommended to apply and on succession I’ve never looked back!

Overall, my experience as an employee of the NHS under the Estate and Facilities Team taught me that professional development is important. The skills I have acquired have been solely down to the people I’ve had the pleasure to work with, and I will be forever grateful at the opportunity I was given. It has led me to other opportunities that wouldn’t have been available if I’d not taken that step outside my comfort zone and I am channelling my passion in another profession whilst continuing my work in the hope of improving the quality of the service we provide. I strive to be better and fortunately I have just been accepted to further develop my skills into becoming a registered Radiographer.

To those who I’ve worked with and still work with from Estates and Facilities, I thank you, for everything.

I commenced my career with Northumbria Healthcare trust at Old Ashington Hospital in February 1993 as a domestic assistant in the evenings. On the opening of Wansbeck hospital June 1993, I then moved to there. My first department was the estates which I covered Monday -Friday 4pm -8pm. I then moved to the pathology department and finally Xray both of which were evening domestic role. I went on maternity leave in March 1998 and returned in July 1998. I then decided I would like to go and be a health care assistant, first trying on the bank I then realised that this was the path I wanted to go on. So, in 1999 I got a permanent post on ward 4 at Wansbeck as a HCA. In 2001 I went 1 day a week to college to do my higher education in Biology, Sociology and English language. Passing these allowed me to apply to do my nurse training, which I commenced in September 2002. September 2005, I qualified as a staff Nurse and got a permanent job on Critical care. In 2012 I got a junior sister’s role on Critical care, however Infection control was a great passion for me and when a position came up I applied and was successful in my interview for a band 6 role. In August 2019 I was successful at interview for a band 7 (senior infection control Nurse position) which I am currently doing, however I have flexi retired and now do 2 long days.

I believe commencing my career as a domestic has allowed me to see the important role they perform in keeping the hospital safe and clean for our patients and relatives . It also allowed me to gain knowledge on the technique’s used to clean a patient room and the process in which it is done . As a senior infection control nurse, I really appreciate the hard work they do, I involve them in the process when a patient has an infection with regards to the waste, cleaning and if required HPV. I am often told by them that they really appreciate me involving them. I really enjoy doing infection control training with the domestics as my background allows me to focus on what is important to them.

Starting my career as a domestic most definitely gave me skills and knowledge to progress my career to the position I do today. I never thought I would go this far and if I had not started the NHS as a domestic I would certainly not have considered nursing a career. 

I started in the Catering team at NTGH in 2003 then moved up to Cobalt Catering in 2009 or so. In 2017 I started a secondment within the Learning and Development team which went on to become a permanent role. In my time in that team, I completed my Level 2 and Level 3 in Business Administration. I then moved to the Organisational Development team in 2021 and I’m now currently completing my Degree in Creative Digital Design.

The most significant skill I developed during my time in the Estates Department was gaining strong communication skills. Engaging with staff clearly and consistently on a daily basis has had a lasting impact on how I work. It has enhanced my confidence in meetings, improved the clarity of my interactions, and strengthened my ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and the external clients I now work with regularly.

I started as a grounds person in June 2004. This involved gardening, litter-picking and general outdoor tidying. In 2010 I applied for an estates apprenticeship, but I was unsuccessful because of my lack of maintenance experience. I spoke to my manager and arranged to switch role from a grounds person to a Maintenance Assistant and did this from 2010 – 2013.

In 2013 I applied for the apprenticeship again and this time I was successful. In my final year I won a special apprentice award at the Trust Staff Awards which I was really proud of.

3 years later I completed an advanced level apprenticeship in engineering maintenance/ manufacture and then was successful at interview for a multi-skilled craftsperson position. In 2021 I was promoted to Maintenance Supervisor, and then in 2023 I applied for an Estates Officer role and was successful.

As part of my apprenticeship I did a HNC diploma in engineering and got a distinction.

Since becoming an estate officer, I have passed serval Authorised Person courses, including medical gas, high voltage, low voltage, confined spaces, and water regulations. I have also completed my NEBOSH national general certificate in occupational health and safety.

The biggest challenge was going to college. I left school in 1989 so, going back in 2014 was a real culture shock and it took some time before my brain staring working again.

I would say my career path has been down to being in the right place at the right time and not being afraid to just go for it. If you wait or are hesitant, someone else will take the place. Also having line managers that trust you to do your job is really important. In that respect I have two managers that do trust me and have encouraged my development.

After graduating from university with a bachelor’s degree and strong desire to contribute to the public sector but little industry specific experience, I applied for a Business Administration Apprenticeship and joined the Trust in late January. As part of this opportunity, I chose my placement to be with the Sustainability Team — a role I was particularly excited about, given the increasing importance of climate action and awareness in the workplace. I gained valuable insight into key areas such as biodiversity, renewable energy, waste management processes and creating carbon footprints. It’s incredibly rewarding to support a team that is actively driving progress towards the Trust’s net zero 2040 target, and to be part of work with a lasting impact. One of the challenges I faced was starting with limited experience, this required me to step outside my comfort zone and adapt. By being proactive and making the most of the support around me, I was able to overcome this and grow in confidence. I have since completed my apprenticeship and currently work as a Net Zero Data Officer for the Great North Care Alliance.

After graduating from university I worked for IBM in Payroll for two years. I then decided I wanted to move into HR so applied for a HR Assistant role covering Newcastle Primary Care Trust, North Tyneside Primary Care Trust and Northumberland Care Trust. In 2011 I was TUPE’d into Northumbria Healthcare and began working in the recruitment team. I was then successful in getting a secondment to the Operational HR Team covering the Community Business unit. I then became a HR Advisor, first for Community, and then NHFM and Corporate Services. I then applied for a Hotel Services Officer position with NHFM and then a few years later became People and Engagement Lead for NHFM.

I completed a Masters Degree in HR, and then since I moved to NHFM I have completed qualifications in project management and health and safety, as well as various other leadership and development courses.

I took a pay cut when I left IBM to join the NHS, and I had to buy a car when I moved from Cobalt to Morpeth, both of which were challenges financially but I knew they would help me get to where I wanted to be in the future.

Sometimes you need to be willing to move sites for the right opportunity. I have been based at Benfield Road, Cobalt, Merley Croft in Morpeth, NTGH, WGH, a brief stint at NSECH, back to NTGH and then Seaton Delaval.

I am an Admin Co-Ordinator working on the Estates Helpdesk at Seaton Delaval. My role involves managing estates requests, ensuring they go to the right team at the right time, and processing car parking permits and changes. It involves a mixture of taking phone calls, responding to emails and processing requests that come through on the online system.

I worked part-time in Catering at NTGH for 16 years, which was perfect while my son was growing up. I had always thought I might be good at admin and wanted to give it a try, but I got Es at GSCE in English and Maths and most admin jobs were asking for Cs or above. Whilst my son was little I didn’t really have time to do anything about it with working and being a mam, but when he started high school I started having a bit more time. I saw the functional skills course advertised in the NHFM newsletter and after much deliberating thought I would give it a try and went ahead and enrolled!

It was for 16 weeks, and I admit I found it really tough at first. I had somehow managed to sign up to the online-only version where you work through the content yourself. After a couple of weeks I found out that I could do face to face classes, so transferred onto that route. From then I started to find it much easier as I learn much better in person and I could ask the tutor questions. She was super patient and would go through it with me again if I didn’t understand. It was also nice to be in a group and see that other people didn’t understand things too, not just me. I met some nice people of all different ages.

Doing the course gave me the confidence and skills to apply for a business admin apprenticeship, something I would have never dared to do before. Unfortunately I wasn’t successful, but it helped me realise that I did want to go down the admin route. I asked if I could shadow some admin teams and ended up spending some time with the NHFM admin team in the Seaton Delaval office and in the manufacturing section. I then applied for an admin job at NTGH but again I wasn’t successful. My confidence began to dip again at this point, but then a temporary vacancy came up at NSECH and my manager arranged for me to do it as a placement to help me get more experience. This came to an end then a temporary vacancy came up with the Estates Helpdesk at Seaton Delaval so I applied and was successful at getting that. This gave me a big confidence boost, and then a few months later I was successful in getting a permanent role with the team. Since then I have been getting stuck into the role, doing my ECDL IT qualification and I’m hoping to start a Level 3 in Business Admin soon!

I joined Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in November 2005 as a Medical Records Clerk, where I developed experience in patient administration, health records management, data quality, and customer service. Through a commitment to service improvement and operational excellence, I progressed to Senior Supervisor within Health Records, managing teams and supporting the delivery of efficient patient-focused services.

Alongside this role, I became a Clinical Documentation Lead, working with clinicians and senior nursing teams to standardise clinical documentation across the Trust and support clinical governance initiatives.

Following a secondment into Estates and Sustainability projects, I secured a permanent role as Travel Plan Coordinator in 2011. Over the following years, I led a range of sustainability, transport, energy efficiency, recycling, and cost-improvement projects, receiving recognition for sustainable transport initiatives.

In 2020, I moved into operational management as a Junior Operational Services Manager within the NHFM, before undertaking a 14-month secondment as an Operational Services Manager in Surgery. These roles broadened my experience in service delivery, operational performance, and staff management.

I am currently Active Travel and Transport Manager within NHFM, leading strategic transport initiatives and supporting sustainability objectives across the organisation.

My progression has been driven by practical experience, continuous learning, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. While working in Health Records, I completed an MSc in Healthcare Management, which strengthened my knowledge of leadership, healthcare strategy, project management, and service improvement.

I actively sought secondments and project opportunities that expanded my experience in change management, stakeholder engagement, and service delivery. Alongside this, I completed a range of professional development courses covering sustainability, energy management, investigations, operational management, and leadership.

A willingness to step outside my comfort zone, take on new responsibilities, and continuously develop my skills enabled me to progress from Health Records into Sustainability, Operational Management, and my current leadership role.

One of the biggest challenges early in my career was building confidence when communicating with senior colleagues, clinicians, and external stakeholders. As I moved into project-based and management roles, I needed to develop stronger presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

To overcome this, I sought feedback, learned from experienced colleagues, attended training courses, and actively took on opportunities that challenged me. Over time, I became more confident in leading projects, presenting information, and managing complex relationships.

Another challenge was adapting to different departments and roles, from Health Records to Sustainability and Operational Management. Each transition required learning new systems and ways of working, but these experiences strengthened my adaptability, resilience, and leadership skills. Looking back, these challenges played a significant role in my professional development.

I began my career with an advanced apprenticeship as an apprentice mechanical engineer at Newcastle University. I worked within the in-house estates team based at the medical school. This apprenticeship gave me the knowledge, experience and qualifications to secure me a fulltime position as a mechanical craftsperson at the university after my apprenticeship finished. I worked for the university for a further 7 years during which I completed a degree apprenticeship funded by a government incentive.

With no progression opportunities present at the university I was successful in attaining the position of assistant estates officer at the RVI (Royal Victoria Infirmary) for the NHS Newcastle Foundation Trust. This was a developmental position in which I learned how a hospital estates department operated and I gained the experience to transition to an estates officer.

Again, with no progression opportunities available I applied for my current position as an Estates Officer Operations at Hexham General Hospital.

I have been employed by Northumbria Healthcare since 2003 (23 years) I started my career in Central Sterile Services (CSSD), I started as bank Sterile Services Assistant and then became a technician very quickly after that, fast forward 3 years and I was a team leader working full time within the department. This role was when I knew I wanted to manage staff.  I developed and learned skills that enabled me to be a compassionate and inclusive leader. I was involved in the day to day management of staff including carrying out appraisals, approving annual leave and being involved in the sickness management of the staff. I completed a Foundation Degree in Service Improvement during my time in Sterile Services.

 I continued my career as Head Porter at North Tyneside General Hospital in 2013; I am proud to say I was the 1^st female head porter appointed to the trust, this was a total change in direction for me in my career. I worked alongside the porters for a few weeks to get a real understanding of the pressures they face on a daily basis.

The role included many aspects of management. I would be the first point of call for any issues or problems that may arise. I helped to promote the role of porters at NTGH whilst operationally managing the team to ensure the service was delivered to the highest standard.

I was then successful as Hotel Services Officer for NHFML Facilities at Wansbeck, with overarching responsibility for Catering. This role has been challenging but very rewarding. I manage over 200 staff within the facilities teams (Catering, Portering, Domestics and Security) I have been able to adapt to different departments and quickly learn the functions of each of them. I was keen to learn and understand how things get done and what protocols are in place to ensure the service delivers to a high standard. The team I have managed at Wansbeck over the passed few years have been great. They support each other and there is a mutual respect between us.

NHFM and the trust have been very supportive in my development. I completed a bachelor’s degree in NHS Management and Leadership. The skills and experience I gained has helped me progress my career.

I am now employed as an OSM for the Medicine and Emergency Care directorate, managing several services and wards. This is a role I strived to achieve and I am proud to say that my experience, learning and academic training had all been supported throughout my whole career and I am grateful and feel luck to work for such an outstanding team.