by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S district nurses have been celebrating 150 years of their movement by telling their stories – some good, some bad and some strange!
This year marked the 150th anniversary of district nursing in Britain, and in Warrington nurses have been speaking about their experiences, from seeing innovations in technology to helping feed hungry pets.
Marjorie Cavanagh is a Community Matron for Warrington Community Services Unit and has nursed since 1969.
She said: “As a district nurse in the earlier days you would see real grinding poverty in some of the communities you visited – even children in rags – but despite this, families were close-knit and supported each other. You would also 
see the extremes of society – in a single morning I once went from treating a diabetic patient in a tiny run-down flat filled with people, to treating a patient with the same condition living in a luxury hotel.
“One memorable patient I visited in the early 1970s was a bed-bound lady married to a chimney sweep. When I drew the bed covers back to change her dressings I found the bed lined with newspapers – there to stop her sooty husband dirtying the sheets! Another patient used to keep a pet sheep in the garden – at least they didn’t have to worry about mowing the lawn.
“The best part of being a district nurse is having hands-on patient contact and being able to make a difference – it’s why I do the job. The role is very varied and I have been called upon to help people in many ways, everything from lighting the fire to feeding the pet budgie!”
Warrington Community Services Unit’s district nursing team care for people in their homes and enable them to stay out of hospital.
To mark the anniversary, the district nurses took a quick break from their busy schedules to have a special picture taken on the Warrington Wolves pitch – in the shape of the figure 150.
Mayor of Warrington Dr Brian Axcell has also commended the nurses, saying:
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Warrington’s district nurses on the 150th anniversary of District Nursing in Britain. Warrington families have been putting their trust in you for generations and I would like to congratulate you on doing a sterling job to keep our Borough healthy.
“All community nurses offer a vital service, especially to vulnerable people in our community who may find it more difficult to access other forms of healthcare. You also help patients stay in their own homes where they feel comfortable and safe.”
Pictured: Warrington district nurses Catriona Fox, Lin Pownall, Hayley Grimes, Lisa Walker, Karen Noblett, Jayne Corcoran, Sam Rutnee, Pam Whitlow, Jenny Flannigan, Janet Delaney, Cheryl West, Sue Hart and Susan Jarvis.
