THE history of Ealing Hospital will be the subject of an exhibition in the hospital’s Galleria space this autumn, to coincide with its 45th birthday

The first person to have greeted you at Ealing Hospital in 1979 would have been Jenny Ashe, who started work as a part-time receptionist on the weekend before the hospital admitted its first patient.

“My first task was to go to A&E and copy the admissions into a big book,” she said.

“I’d take that back to reception and use it to direct visitors asking about people being treated in the hospital.

“There were no computers in those days. It was all pen and paper. 

“I enjoyed working at the hospital so much that, when I got a full-time job with an electronics firm, I still did my weekend shifts at Ealing.

“I later moved to A&E as a front-desk receptionist and I am still working in the department as a medical secretary 45 years later.”

Front-of-house triage nurses didn’t exist then and Jenny would take patients’ details and direct them to wait in the blue line for minor ailments or the red line for chest and head pains. 

She used her initiative to jump the queue on more than one occasion, including carrying a baby to resuscitation and rushing outside to check on a young man slumped semi-unconscious in a car before calling for medical help. 

“I did consider retraining as a nurse for a while, but with three young children I felt I had left it too late,” she said. 

“However, one of my colleagues in reception did take the plunge and join the profession, which was brilliant. 

“Ealing has always been such a friendly place to work. I have so many happy memories and it is nice to know you work somewhere that makes a difference. 

“I’m part-time again now but haven’t even thought about retirement.”