Matron-manager bows out after life of caring

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Jane was five years old when she and her family moved to Arbroath, where she attended Parkhouse Primary School from 1947 to 1952. She later moved to Brechin, Angus, where she trained in nursing at Stracathro Hospital, aged just 17.

Jane was so young examiners almost didn’t allow her to sit the final exams, but after finding a loophole she managed to clear the age requirement by just seven days, and passed her finals in 1963.

In that same year, Jane was awarded Nurse of the Year at Stracathro Hospital, and started hermidwifery training at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. While there, Jane and her colleagues held a Hogmanay party, where she met Chris, an educational officer in the army, based at nearby Fort George.

Jane and Chris married the following year on May 2 1964 – not long after Jane had decided to leave Raigmore Hospital. Chris then left the Army and began teaching at a primary school in Glenrothes.

In 1966, their daughter Kim arrived, and then in 1969 so did their son, Paul. Kim is now a training officer at a care provider, while Paul is an IT consultant.

From 1977 to 1985, Jane worked at Monklands Hospital, Airdrie, and in 1985 she moved to Edinburgh and began work as a charge nurse in the elderly wards at Liberton Hospital.

She worked there until 1991, when the wards were moved to the City Hospital, where she worked until 1995, taking early retirement from the health service.

One patient she had treated at Liberton was moved to Camilla House Nursing Home, in The Grange.

Jane applied for a part-time post and in 1996 began working three days a week as a charge nurse.

After only a few months she became a full-time charge nurse, then a deputy matron, and finally matron manager.

Now 68, Jane has experienced ill-health and feels unable to continue with her post: “The job is a total commitment. I wasn’t able to do it anymore.”

Her passion for her post is evident though. She said: “I got more job satisfaction from Camilla House than from anywhere else. I had an absolutely wonderful team, they were like family.”

Jane’s former boss Donna Macleod spoke fondly of her former colleague.

She said: “The main thing that Jane brought to the job was stability and calmness, which is very important when working with older people.”

Now Jane plans on learning how to use her new laptop, a leaving gift from the staff, reading, relaxing and spending more time with her ten-year-old grandson, Jamie.