A MUCH-LOVED manager at Ysbyty Gwynedd has reflected on her 32 years of dedicated service to the patients in north Wales.

Llinos Thomas, from Cefniwrch on Anglesey, started her career as a student nurse at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in 1981 and four years later began her orthopaedic nurse training in Gobowen.

It was in September 1986 she started her first post as staff nurse in Ysbyty Gwynedd and worked on the trauma, orthopaedic and casualty wards.

Between 1990 and 2002 she worked as a Ward Sister on Prysor Ward and later progressed to the post of senior nurse.

Working on the wards was a memorable time for Llinos, where she made life-long friends and gained her most valuable experience.

She said: “I always enjoyed working on the orthopaedic wards and at the time I was rotating between the trauma ward and also casualty, known today as the Emergency Department.

“It was very different back then to how things are today in our Emergency Department. Although it was a 24 hour service we were able to close the door at 2am and anyone who came into the department rang a bell to be seen – so it wasn’t the 24-hour service we have now!

“I always look back on those days and remember how much I enjoyed my role. There was always a lot of comradeship between colleagues and patients stayed in hospital a lot longer then so there was much more time to allow staff to get to know their patients.

“Although I haven’t worked on the wards for a few years now, I’ll always be a nurse at heart.”

Between 2002 and 2010 Llinos accepted a theatre manager role before moving further up the ladder to head of nursing in the Surgical and Anaesthetic Directorate.

In November 2015 Llinos accepted the post of Directorate general manager of unscheduled care at Ysbyty Gwynedd and has been part of the hospital management team which are involved with making the key decisions for the site.

An emotional retirement party was held by her colleagues on her final day to wish her well for the future.

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online on Thursday