“I’ve worked at the Trust as a Domestic Assistant at York Hospital for the last 15 years. I work on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“Before joining the Trust I had worked at a supermarket, but wanted do something where I could feel like I was giving back to the community, which is how I ended up at the at the Trust, as I truly believe there is no organisation that serves the community quite like the NHS. Joining the Trust has been the best decision I ever made.

“From the opportunities I get to meet people from all walks of life, through to the relationships and close bonds I’ve been able to build with colleagues at all levels within the Trust, I feel that every day working for this great organisation is a genuine privilege.

“While I’m not directly helping save lives, it’s always humbling to hear that what I do in keeping the wards clean for staff and patients does contribute to patients getting better more quickly. It's comments like this that make the staff at York Hospital some of the best people I have had the pleasure to meet and work with.

“The staff were also fantastic following the death of my husband from cancer. During my time off I was visited by the head sister of ICU. I didn’t feel like she needed to have gone out of her way just to visit me, but I was assured that this is something they would do for anyone who was part of the team.

“Making me feel part of the team is something staff here are great at. They involve me in everything they do, from nights out and staff socials, making sure that I feel one of them - they never fail to include me as part of everything they do.

“Working here is often an education. Recently, I was even shown how to give CPR correctly and just from talking to staff day in and day out, I now know what an aneurysm is! Again it really is a privilege to be considered part of such a wonderful team.

“The biggest change in my time with the NHS has been the uncertainties we’re currently going through. However, as long as we preserve the service we can rest easy that patients in this country will continue to get what they need.

“To me, the NHS means everything. It’s helped me make friends from all over the world, meeting people I probably would not have had the opportunity to meet. It is the heart and soul of the country. Without the NHS we have nothing and it is so important that we cherish it and protect it.”