After dedicating over 100 years to working in the NHS, best friends Clare Byrne and Sue Ager are set to retire from Liverpool University Hospitals, paving the way for nurses they’ve inspired along the way.
“I’ve loved my nursing role, I wouldn’t change a thing. Having that connection to patients makes everything so worthwhile,” said Sue, a Senior Cardiac Rehab Nurse, who began her career as a typist and then went on to train as a nurse working in St Paul’s Eye Unit and the Royal’s Intensive Care Unit.
The friendship began back in 1975 when Sue was working in Gynaecology at Sefton General Hospital, where Clare was then training as a student nurse. Clare remembers Sue being so friendly with everybody and wasn’t surprised when she decided to become a nurse too.
Sue, who turns 70 in May, began her training in the original Liverpool Royal Infirmary in 1977 and as such has worked in all three “Royal Liverpool” Hospitals during her career.
Their friendship was strengthened 1986 when they started working together in the newly opened Acute Admissions Unit on 9Y at the Royal. “We had such a skilled team, so caring and compassionate, but also so efficient. There was a constant throughput of patients, and the initial aim was to get patients out of our Emergency Department and into a comfortable bed, to reassure them and deal with their acute needs, and to begin their recovery process whilst waiting for an appropriate bed,” said Clare.
The duo worked together for five years before Clare, who is now Associate Director of Nursing for Cancer at LUHFT, moved into Practice Education, supporting enrolled nurses to convert to state registered nurse, as well as working with trained nurses who were wanting to develop their skills specialising in areas such as cancer, respiratory care, renal medicine and cardiology.
While Sue, who as a youngster aspired to be a dancer, found herself “loving her amazing career in nursing” and now works in Cardiology, where she supports patients following a heart attack and heart surgery. She said: “I feel there has been real progression in research-based recovery pathways in cardiology, working with colleagues in exercise physiology and therapies. This, alongside working closely with Liverpool Heart and Chest, ensures that our cardiac patients across Liverpool get the best personalised care package.”
In 1995 Clare took on a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) development role in liver cancer surgery. She said: “This role was a result of increasing research that identified how supporting patients with cancer, coordinating their care, and being their “key worker” made a real difference to both patients and those close to them. It helped them to adjust to a cancer diagnosis and the uncertainty of what might lie ahead, including when cure was not an option.
“The important aspect was proactive personalised communication, anticipating need and realistic hope. Evaluation of such cancer CNS roles with the University of Liverpool led to this CNS role developing across cancer in Colorectal, Oesophago gastric and Pancreas and many more since.”
Passionate about her role, Clare has always been aware of how health inequalities and deprivation across our city can lead to disempowerment, poor health and higher incidents of cancer.
Clare said: “A big part of your role is being alongside patients and identifying where there might be social and psychological needs – things like not being able to afford the bus fare to get to an appointment, or not being able to arrange childcare during chemo. COVID emphasised these needs even more and it was in 2020 that we were able to secure funding from Macmillan to begin the development of a Cancer Community Support Service. This is now sustained within the Trust, supporting patients and families working with external agencies both financially and in meeting social needs, resulting in patients being in a better place to deal with their cancer.”
Sue and Clare became “like sisters” throughout the years. “Sue always lights up the room with patients and always brings out the laughter with the team. We’ve had amazing careers, it’s down to teamwork and respect,” said Clare, who originally began training as a teacher before finding her feet in nursing.
The pair are due to retire at the end of March. Sue and Clare both agree: “Whilst we will miss nursing, we know there are so many good people coming through. Nobody is indispensable and we must now step aside and let them carry on showing compassion and caring for patients, whilst we cherish our memories.”