Life has come full circle for Sarah Clarke as the NHS celebrates its 75th anniversary – her grandparents once ran one of the first NHS hospitals while she helped plan one of the latest.
Sarah, who is head of capital investment for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV), said: “Like me, many of my family are proud to have worked for the NHS.
“It’s amazing to think how it has changed though. Back in my grandparent’s day, staff and patients shared sherry and cigarettes, while my first job in the NHS was to highlight the health risks of alcohol and smoking.”
Family roots in NHS
Sarah’s grandparents, Muriel and Allan Chinn, ran St Mary’s Hospital in Tattingstone, Suffolk, when the old workhouse was taken over by the NHS after it was founded in 1948.
The hospital, built in 1765 as a House of Industry, underwent an extensive revamp and Allan – who was initially known as the Master – received the title of Hospital Secretary instead.
Under the NHS, new windows were installed, the roof retiled, central heating installed, bedrooms renovated, and a new kitchen built. Locals, however, still viewed it with suspicion.
Sarah’s grandmother, who was matron, told a local paper at the time: “People still regard it as a workhouse. We want to prove to them this is not so. It has altered beyond recognition.
“At one time people were virtually prisoners. There were only two fires and people slept in attics with no heating. We now have central heating and an up-to-date kitchen.”
Growing up with the NHS
Living on site was a condition for Muriel and Allan’s appointment at St Mary’s, which meant Sarah’s father, Pip Chinn, was raised in the hospital.
Under the care of the NHS and the Chinns, the historic building flourished to become a 120-bed facility – offering support for older people.
Pip went on to train at the RAF School for Physiotherapy, where he met Sarah’s mum Coralie – who was also a trainee physiotherapist.
Both then spent time working for the NHS. Although Pip later set up in private practice, Coralie stayed with the NHS for her whole career. When she retired, her 40 years NHS service was marked with an invitation to Buckingham Palace.
“Quite a contrast to my grandfather’s retirement,” said Sarah. “He was presented with an electric fan heater. It might have been high-tech at the time, but it wasn’t very interesting!”
Third generation of NHS workers
Sarah moved from Suffolk to North Yorkshire as a child, as her mother was originally from Saltburn. Her first NHS job was with South Tees Community Trust in public health promotion.
Two years later she became a health action zone co-ordinator in Middlesbrough, working with the community and establishing projects to tackle health inequalities.
“Many of the ambitions from my early career are still in the spotlight for the NHS today,” said Sarah, from near Saltburn.
“Tackling the determinants of health, a focus on empowerment and community development and agencies working together to meet the needs of people and neighbourhoods we serve.”
Planning a new hospital
Sarah went on to secure a planning manager role with TEWV – working with colleagues, partners and commissioners to translate national policy into local action plans.
Then, when a new department for capital investment was being set up in TEWV, she became involved in planning the estate.
“My role involves planning buildings and investment to ensure services can be delivered in high quality, therapeutic environments in an affordable way,” she said.
“The highest value business case I have been involved in was for Foss Park Hospital in York, which was really exciting,” she said.
“It’s not often you get to work on creating a brand-new hospital, and it’s a strange co-incidence to think that my grandparents did something similar all those years ago.
“Back then, installing central heating was a huge transformation. And now our hospitals, like Foss Park, have ensuite bedrooms and top-of-the-range technology.
“Although it’s a completely different world now, we are still constantly trying to make improvements – just as my grandparents did.”
Dedicated to improvement
Sarah, 48, is determined to keep changing services for the better and has been involved in a raft of other projects to improve support for people right across the Trust.
She particularly enjoys working with partners and has also helped to organise bids for millions of pounds of funding enabling new developments such as Orca House CAMHS unit in York.
“When I started in the NHS, I never saw myself working in Estates but there are so many different roles associated with planning, building and running our facilities. I love how our teams work together, doing our best to help in whatever way we can,” said Sarah.
Celebrating the NHS
Sarah herself has benefitted from the NHS personally. When she discovered that she has a familial gene mutation putting her at very high risk of breast cancer, the NHS enabled preventative surgery – vastly reducing her risk from the disease.
“Back in my grandparent’s day, they would never have believed the things we do now. From looking after people in attics, to the scientific advances that make preventive medicine possible today,” she said.
“The change over 75 years has been incredible. I feel so lucky that I have both benefitted from the help of the NHS, and that I am able to help in my own way too.”
