Although I classify myself as an Otago Girls old girl it was actually my third High School.  My father was in the army when I attended Papakura High and Takapuna Grammar but we shifted to Dunedin in my 6th form year as he began studies to become a Presbyterian Minister. I was a clever but wayward student, the headmistress – Miss Upchurch – used to regularly present me with a rubber band to tie back my long blonde dyed hair.  Miss Hendry, the music teacher, found me terribly disappointing -  my younger brother was a musical prodigy and there was, unfortunately, no music in me.   I left Otago Girls at the end of 1965 having got my University Entrance accredited and joined the staff of the Dunedin Hospital laboratories together with two others from my class.   The training was in-house and took 5 years  (I was responsible some years later for it becoming a degree) and I qualified in Microbiology and Biochemistry.   Having got married on my 18th birthday I had my first son at 24 and started at University while continuing to work first the night shift and later as second in charge in Biochemistry.  During the next few years I worked fulltime and completed a BSc, a BA and a Diploma in Health Management.  Three more sons followed at 4 year intervals.  My husband had become a house husband and refused to contemplate another baby until the last one was out of nappies!  

In 1987, with the support of Hospital Management, I embarked on an MBA as one of 3 women in a class of 24.  As part of my studies I completed a thesis relating to Day Surgery at the hospital.  On graduating I was appointed Manager of Surgery for the Otago area and one of my first tasks was the building of the Day Surgery unit which is still operating today and which moved day cases from 1,700 a year to 4,500.  I was also responsible for closing down the operating theatres in Oamaru and Balclutha – not the most popular of moves with the public but it was inevitable.  Both areas utilised GP anaesthetists and did large numbers of relatively simple procedures while the main Dunedin hospital was starved for resources.  During this time, I completed a Diploma in Public Health and a Diploma in Tertiary Teaching.  I taught management topics at Polytechnic and university for some 15 years.  Having survived through a number of restructurings and 4 CEOs at the Hospital I was made redundant at the age of 44, together with the whole management team.  I was offered a number of jobs, including Advisor to the Minister of CHEs, Advisor to the CEO at the hospital (I suspect I would have been running an anarchy in the back corridor), and a management position in the Dunedin private laboratory. In the event, I took a 6 month contract jointly funded by ACC and the Health Authority tasked with untangling ACC patients out of the hospital waiting lists and purchasing their surgery.  At the end if that I joined the Health Funding Authority and worked on services for spinal patients, the Breast Screening program and finally on auditing hospital departments for their adherence to the newly developed scoring tools for surgery.  Again there were numerous restructurings and after a few years I became restless, although I enjoyed project work I really missed people management.  At that stage I was offered a job as COO for the private laboratory (SCL) who were just starting to expand beyond Dunedin. That began 20 fascinating and rewarding years. We purchased the Hamilton and Gisborne laboratories, expanded in Christchurch, and started a new laboratory in Auckland.  The contract for Otago Southland – hospital and community – was awarded to us and there was the task of amalgamating staff, equipment and IT systems.  The Christchurch earthquake wrecked our laboratory in Christchurch and we moved three times before rebuilding to the current site.  Some hints if you are ever caught in an earthquake:

·         Have a manual phone at home – there is no way to charge a cell phone and they don’t last long

·         White plastic seats are handy – take the middle out and you have a commode for out in the garden

·         Keep your car keys in your pocket

In the midst of the chaos we won the Canterbury and Nelson contracts.  Along the way we lost the Hamilton/Gisborne contract with some 400 redundancies and the relocating of staff and equipment. This was followed by the winning of the Wellington contract and the building and staffing a very large new laboratory.

In 2018 at the age of 69 I made the decision to retire and now volunteer as a receptionist at the Servants Health Centre (a Christian medical centre which is largely staffed by volunteers and does not charge the patients). I also provide weekly lunches to a Bible Study group, organise church lunches for some 300+ at Dunedin City Baptist Church and cater for funerals.  My long-suffering husband became a metalwork teacher and later became a courier and also did electrical checks around the country for Southern Community Laboratories.  He retired at the same time as I did. Eight grandchildren and a thriving garden help ensure I am never bored.