Staff at a Southampton hospital have paid tribute to their ‘one of a kind’ colleague as she retires after 41 years on the job.
Members in the decontamination department at Southampton University Hospital lined up on Margaret Teare’s last day on Christmas eve to pay tribute to their 'determined' and 'kind' supervisor.
Margaret started working at the unit in 1979 – making her the longest serving member of the department, which makes sure instruments used in theatre are properly sterilised.
She started work part time as a Sterile Services Technician after raising three children from the age of 17.
She described re-entering the workplace after ten years out as ‘scary’, though rose through the ranks to become Senior Supervisor, which involved training new members of staff and helping to manage a team of 70.
Margaret described the image of her colleagues lining up outside the hospital as ‘fantastic’ and ‘emotional’ adding “it was a lovely send off.”
She paid tribute to her team members – “an amazing group of people” who supported her after her husband of 51 years suffered a massive stroke ten years ago, which left him requiring a wheelchair.
Margaret said: “My manager allowed me to work around Alan’s care, which was absolutely unbelievable.
“My boss Jean is an amazing boss – when Alan was in hospital for five months she visited me every day. [My colleagues Theresa and Helen] came every day too because they didn’t want me to be on my own. And my colleague Lynne took me out.”
Speaking about her ethos on teamwork she said she “never wanted Technicians to be seen as least important because they’re not," adding: "You need a whole team to run a unit. Status doesn’t really come into it.”
Due to suffering with vasculitis – or inflammation of the lungs and having to shield herself from coronavirus, Margaret felt it was “the right time” to retire.
Decontamination Manager Jean Hedges said: “Margaret will be missed by all of us here in the Decontamination department.
“Her hard work and diligence has greatly helped the staff, and all of her colleagues consider her as a valuable asset and an integral part of the team.”
She added: “Not only will I miss Margaret as a colleague but as a firm friend who over the years has and continued to show such strength and resilience both at work and at home.”
In a joint statement written by members of the decontamination department, her colleagues described Margaret as “one of a kind and irreplaceable.”
The letter read: “Margaret has the kindest soul and cares for all those that cross her path. Her determination to be the best person and colleague she can be is admirable and her patience, knowledge and professionalism is evident through all those that have had the privilege to be trained by her.”
“Thank you for everything you have done for us all, it has been an honour to work alongside you.”
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