Page 22 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

20 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Matron’s Blog – QEMHC, Tidworth
Left to right: Lt Sewell; Cpl McAlpine; Lt Col Charlton; Col Bush; SSgt Johnson; SSgt Cashon.
What a busy year for all of us within the QARANC and Defence Primary Healthcare (DPHC). I’ve been at Queen Elizabeth Memorial Healthcentre (QEMHC), Tidworth for over twelve months now and don’t quite know where the time has gone. When I first started in post as Matron in the largest military medical facility owned by DPHC, which caters for both serving personnel and their dependants, we were recovering the Units from 1 Mech Bde following their tour on Op Herrick. Five weeks into my post we had a GPEC inspection which didn’t go as well as planned gaining a year’s accreditation instead of the expected 3 years, however, after a lot of hard work from all the staff I am pleased to report that in
July 14 we passed with flying colours meaning we can continue to train GP registrars.
As a collective we decided to do something a little different for our Corps day and instead of the church service and curry lunch we opted for a self-funded trip to London and a visit to the Florence Nightingale museum. After meeting Cpl McAlpine at St Thomas’s hospital and realising that our observational skills leave a lot to be desired, seeing as we walked past her twice, we headed off for the museum. It was excellent and the lady who played ‘Flo’ whilst happy to pose for a photo couldn’t help but tell SSgt Gardiner off for having a skirt that showed her ankles! (Photo A). After what the team nicknamed ‘Matron’s PT’ (all using the
stairs at Covent Garden tube station instead of the lift) we went for a lovely lunch and generalised debrief on the day’s activity.
In May Col Commandant Sue Bush and Lt Col Charlton (Clinical OF4 Primary Healthcare) came to visit us at QEMHC. Col Bush presented Cpl McAlpine with a cheque from the QARANC Association on completion of 22 years service, SSgt Johnston (RAMC) with a cheque from the WOs & Sgt’s Mess, Lt Sewell with his Afghanistan tour medal and SSgt Cashon with her LSGC. It was an excellent opportunity for the QARANC personnel to show off what they have been doing within PHC and have a general chat about the exciting future ahead of the Corps with contingence operations being at the core of everyone’s business. (Photo B).
The medical centre has been busier than ever and with staff shortages it made it all the more important for all to work as a team to ensure force protection, care and treatment of the serving personnel and not forgetting the families who support the soldiers. Units have deployed and returned from exercises in Canada and Kenya and are now preparing for Poland. We have also had a steady trickle of people preparing for deployment to Serra Leone in the fight against Ebola on Op Gritrock. I wonder if it will all be over by the time this is published or will it be an enduring operation?
Major Samantha Sharland Matron QEMHC
Left to right: Cpl Bolam; Cpl McAlpine; Maj Sharland; “Florence Nightingale”; Maj Lyall; SSgt Gardiner; Cpl Smith.