Dorothy first stepped into the pharmacy department in 1975, not knowing that this would become her lifelong professional home. Starting as an assistant, she quickly proved herself to be reliable, knowledgeable, and committed to patient care behind the scenes.
In the early days of her career, Dorothy briefly explored becoming a pharmacy technician, completing a period of training on a technicians course. While she gained valuable experience, her true passion soon became clear – pharmacy purchasing.
For the past 47 years, Dorothy has been at the heart of pharmacy operations. Her role is pivotal in ensuring that essential medicines are available across all three hospital sites, supporting everything from emergency care to specialist treatments.
Dorothy’s work underpins the smooth running of the Trust’s clinical services. She has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of medication supply chains, procurement systems, and the ever-changing pharmaceutical landscape. Her colleagues often describe her as the “walking bible” of pharmacy purchasing – a source of expertise, calm, and consistency in a field that is ever-changing.
Dorothy’s five decades in the pharmacy department have given her a unique perspective on how dramatically the service has evolved. She recalls a time when pharmacy operated its own sterilisation centre, producing sterile water antiseptic solutions and IV fluids on-site and inspecting instruments under a large microscope – tasks now handled by specialist external facilities.
Pharmacy teams also previously prepared their own creams and ointments, including products similar to today’s branded Drapolene cream. These were mixed, labelled, and dispensed in-house; now, such items arrive pre-packed and ready to use from wholesale suppliers. These changes reflect just how much the profession has modernised, and Dorothy has adapted to each development with remarkable ease and resilience.
Dorothy said: “It’s a very exciting but intense job, you have to be really on the ball and it can be quite demanding, especially in those days when we had to keep on top of all the details involved without computers. When I first started, all orders were written on duplicated copy pads.”
It’s not just changes in technology and pharmacy that Dorothy has witnessed over her five decades in the service, she also spoke with us about how working conditions were very different in 1975. Dorothy said: “My first salary in this job worked out at £22 a week and we had to work a full year before we were entitled to any holiday days.”
Throughout all of the changes she has witnessed, Dorothy has never been one to get left behind and is a firm believer in changing with the times.
At the age of 60, Dorothy decided to semi-retire. But her break from work lasted a grand total of 24 hours before she returned to her role full time. Far from slowing down, she credits the intensity and challenge of her role with keeping her mind sharp and her memory strong.
“I think that’s why I’ve been able to stay so long,” she reflected in her interview. “The job keeps me switched on.”
Dorothy marked the occasion with an afternoon tea at Mount Pleasant in Doncaster, alongside her colleagues also celebrating service milestones at DBTH. Coincidentally, the celebration was held on 5 December, just one day before Dorothy’s 76th birthday.
The event is an annual celebration for DBTH when it recognises colleagues like Dorothy who stand as a testament to the power of commitment, adaptability, and passion for patient care. Dorothy’s journey is a reminder that the NHS is built on people like her – individuals who dedicate their working lives to supporting others.
Fifty years on, Dorothy remains an integral part of the pharmacy team, often affectionately referred to as ‘Aunty Dorothy’ by her teammates, and still ensuring that patients receive the treatments they need, when they need them.