Nursery nurse Linda Mellon is heading ‘Down Under’ after 23 years with NHS Forth Valley, where she has cared for around 100,000 children and their families.  Staff in the Children’s Ward at Forth Valley Royal Hospital at Larbert said goodbye with flowers, personal gifts and some Australian dollars.

Among well-wishers was a message from one of Linda’s first patients, now aged 25. Using social media, the woman, who has a long-term condition, said she was pleased that Linda had waited until now to emigrate to Australia as today’s technology would enable them to keep in touch electronically across the miles.

Reflecting on her career Linda said: “To see children coming in poorly and going out well is priceless. I’ve had a good career in Forth Valley with lots of laughter and lots of tears but everybody in the ward is there for each other, through the good times and the bad times. I have worked with a great bunch of people who are not only colleagues but like a family whom you can trust and depend on.”

It has taken Linda, who is from Sauchie, two years of form filling to gain entry to Australia where a son and daughter live in Perth, and another son near Melbourne. A qualified nursery nurse, she began her NHS career as a play leader in the former Ward 2 at Stirling Royal Infirmary and then applied for a nursery nurse post.

Linda’s daughter is a pre-school teacher at Perth University and Linda hopes to undertake supply work there.

PHOTO: Linda is pictured with (left to right) Sister Karen MacFarlane, Ward Manager Fiona Cook and Sister Margaret Rooney.