Local nurse retires from NHS after 37 years of service

A senior mental health staff nurse who worked at Kershaw Grange Day Unit in Luddendenfoot, Halifax, has retired after 37 years of service to the NHS.

John Yearsley, 55, lives in Cleckheaton and has worked at Kershaw Grange for 4 years, but within the NHS throughout Yorkshire for a total of 37 years.

Kershaw Grange Day Unit provides specialist services for older people with mental health problems and is run jointly by South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust and Calderdale Health and Social Care services.

A typical working day at Kershaw Grange for John would involve welcoming people who used the unit’s day services, planning their care, assessing and monitoring their needs, and planning and delivering group activity programmes. His specialist areas were reminiscence, which involved encouraging service users to remember their pasts, along with music and wildlife therapies which served to encourage older people receiving treatment at the unit to engage in meaningful and enjoyable activities.

John said, "The best bit about my role was the contact I had with people, especially when I was involved in the music and wildlife groups. While I am very sad to be leaving the Trust and the NHS behind me, I am looking forward to being able to spend more time in the great outdoors and keeping my mind and body active. I will however continue to help and support vulnerable people."

The Team Leader at Kershaw Grange, Rebecca Whelan added, "We all wish John a long and happy retirement and thank him for his valuable contribution to the team and to the people who use services here at Kershaw Grange."