A NURSE from Wallasey will be retiring after 42 years at the Walton Centre.

It was 1969 when Phil Kane entered her career in nursing, the same year Neil Armstrong was making footprints on the moon and The Beatles released Abbey Road.

After qualifying Phil found a job at the Walton Centre, known as the Walton Hospital at the time.

She said: “I was seconded to work in neuro in my second year of training and I loved it.

“It was very dramatic, we felt like we could do so much for these critically ill patients and try to improve the outcomes for some of them.”

In her time Phil has seen a range of injuries in particular severe road traffic accidents.

She added: “Patients were coming in with similar problems to what we see now but injuries were far more extensive then because we didn’t have seatbelt laws.

“So we had patients who had gone through windscreens, they’d have much more traumatic brain injuries and for a lot of them the outcomes weren’t very good.”

Phil has gone through every ward at the hospital and finally ended up as lead nurse and associate director for infection prevention and control and tissue viability.

She said: “Neuro isn’t a speciality that is boring – it changes all the time. It’s a marmite speciality, you either love it or hate. Those who love it stay for years.

“It’s been the hardest decision I’ve ever made to retire.

“I’m really going to miss the people that I’ve worked with.

“I’ve delayed it and put it off for a long time, but I feel the time is right now.”

Phil now plans to travel in her free time and take up golf.

Chief executive at Walton Centre Chris Harrop said: “To have more than four decades of nursing experience is an incredible achievement.

“To do all of it here at the Walton Centre is amazing.

“I can’t thank her enough for all her years of service.

“She will be greatly missed by all of her colleagues here and the many patients she has cared for over the years.”