Minehead nurse recognised for five decades of caring (From This is The West Country)

Minehead nurse recognised for five decades of caring

7:00pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Hannah Green

A SPECIAL recognition award has been presented to a nurse from Minehead for 50 years of caring for patients with mental ill health.

Sylvia Parsons, a community psychiatric nurse at the Barnfield Unit of the town’s community hospital, began her career as a nurse cadet in February 1963 at the former Tone Vale Psychiatric Hospital.

After qualifying in 1968 she cared for the elderly at Williton Community Hospital before working in Minehead, where she was a founder member of the Family Therapy Team.

Sylvia said: “I enjoyed everything about the job and learnt so much about every aspect of the hospital and nursing care.

“Mental health care has changed beyond all recognition since those days but I still enjoy helping patients and their families and I feel the support I have from all my colleagues keeps me feeling young.”

Linda Nash, chair of Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “During her five decades of nursing Sylvia has cared for some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

"It is her special qualities of compassion and commitment to their care that patients and their families value most.”