Interviews of Frances Lockhart aged 69 and Rita Riddick aged 73

Interview with Frances Lockhart and Rita Riddick who had both spent most of their nursing career at Gribton Hospital. After some preliminary biographical information is shared, the pair discuss their shared experiences across a range of themes relating to nursing, including: training at Charmwood, staffing structure at Gribton; number of patients; day-to-day activities and working practices and the physical building. Rita recalled the custom of ambushing colleagues who were about to get married and said that she got into trouble when Frances was getting married. Frances was put into the dumb waiter and sent down to the kitchen where they pelted her with flour. Although this was a customary act, Frances was the last person to be treated in this way. The pair also describe the community of the hospital and the commitment by staff to ensure their long-term patients thrived.

Although sad to leave Gribton, when the hospital closed and the patients moved to Nithbank, they note that there were advantages and disadvantages. Nithsdale was in town and this meant travelling to work was easier, as was taking patients out for local visits. However, the move meant patients were now in large Nightingale wards, rather than the small 2, or 4-bed wards at Gribton. At the end of the interview, they reflect on changing nursing practice and expressed regret that the post of enrolled nurse no longer exists as they felt the enrolled nurses played an important role in patient care.