50 years and counting for Frome nurse

Triage nurse at the Frome Medical Practice, Viv Holloway, has this month completed a remarkable 50 years of service in the medical profession.

Viv started her career back in 1967 when she joined the Royal Navy at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, following on from her strong family links to the service, where her father was a Royal Marine Commando seeing action at the D-Day landings.  Her experience in the Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Service included overseas postings in Gibraltar and Malta. She also served on the hospital ship, the SS Uganda, during the Falklands conflict.

Since leaving the Royal Navy, all of Viv’s professional life has been spent working in the NHS, where she has served in both A&E at major hospitals, as well as in primary care at GP general practices.

Over recent years, Viv has formed part of the triage nursing team at the Frome Medical Practice.

Senior partner at the practice, Dr Helen Kingston said, “We are all extremely lucky to have someone of Viv’s experience, commitment and dedication working here at the practice. To complete 50 years as a nurse is a fantastic achievement. What our patients may not know is that away from her place of work, Viv still maintains a big commitment to the Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Nursing Service, representing them at remembrance ceremonies both at the Cenotaph and locally. We are all very proud of Viv.”

Viv said, “Working in the nursing profession for me, whether as a nurse, midwife or triage nurse has been an absolute privilege, whether during my time in the Royal Navy or the NHS.

“I love my job, being able to work closely with the GPs and nurse practitioners. However, as with many nurses I imagine, the most rewarding part is working with the patients, reassuring them and providing clinical solutions to their problems. That makes everything more than worthwhile.”