Double celebrations for Dianne
Thought to be one of the longest serving nurses in West Midlands’ history, Dianne Court celebrates both five decades in the NHS and her 80th birthday this year.
Dianne has dedicated over 50 years of her life to working for the NHS. Marking her 80th birthday today (17 February) Dianne takes a trip down memory lane, sharing her incredible career journey.
Starting her career as a registered nurse, 1 April 1967, Dianne’s dedication to the profession has never faltered from the first day she was stationed at the live-in nursing accommodation at the (then) Birmingham General Hospital, aged 18-years-old. Dianne, said:
“When I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do, I initially tried radiology but didn’t think it was for me, I decided to study nursing instead and I have never looked back.”
Over the years, Dianne has worked across the West Midlands and beyond, from supporting British Leyland workers as an Occupational Health Nurse, to then joining the NHS at Birmingham Accident Hospital, Selly Oak Hospital, Bromsgrove General Hospital and most recently, BCHC’s West Heath Hospital.
Dianne joined BCHC 25 years ago, where she became a Clinical Lead. At the age of 67, she decided to retire from a full-time post, yet she had no intention of stopping the career she loved. Today, Dianne works as a Bank Nurse, supporting the wider community and sharing her valuable knowledge that she has accumulated over the past six decades.
Dianne said:
“I love inspiring the new nursing generation. The NHS is always evolving, but one thing that never changes is the dedication I see my fellow nurses show to our patients.”
The longest serving nurse in the UK, Monica Bulman, served an incredible 66 years before retiring in 2018, aged 84. Dianne shared that she has no intention of stopping just yet and hopes to continue caring for people across the West Midlands for as long as she can. She said:
“I love going to work, I don’t intend on ‘winding down’ just yet!”
Happy Birthday Dianne and thank you for your years of dedication to the NHS, long may it continue.
