A career well spent at City with Dermot Reilly

November 13, 2024

“I remember walking into the City Hospital emergency department for the first time seven years into my career in the Midlands. I thought I would be here four or five years, make my mark, and then move on somewhere else. Yet here I am, ready to see my career out right where I started,” is how Dermot describes the start of his successful career at City Hospital.

Having had a long and varied career at City Hospital, Dermot explains: “I’ve worn a few hats over the years – senior charge nurse, clinical lead, professional development lead, and more recently, MMUH move lead. With the big move to Midland Met, I am keen to return to the heart of staff development in our new hospital. It feels like coming full circle, and though retirement isn’t quite in sight, I know it’s on the horizon. There is still much to accomplish, and I’m up for the challenge.”

Reflecting on these past four decades in emergency nursing, Dermot reminisces: “I sometimes feel like I’m telling tales from another era when I talk to our younger staff. Healthcare has evolved so much that describing our practices from the 1990s sounds like something out of a history book. But while tools and techniques have transformed, what hasn’t changed is the people and the way we care for our patients. I’ve witnessed so many moments, that it would be hard to put into print just one. There have been lots of good times and some bad times, some memorable patients along the way who you never forget. But without a doubt there have been some hilarious times with lots of laughter that are hard to capture in words. It is why I love emergency care – it is a career I have never regretted.”

City Hospital has a rich and varied history, loved by staff, past and present. While the past holds many memories, Dermot looks forward to everything the future holds at Midland Met. “The work, the patients, the challenges, and the team have always intrigued me. I have been part of developing the ED at Midland Met, and the new space is an opportunity to bring together years of experience with updated technology and a modern set up I couldn’t have dreamed of when I started.

“Through all the changes and hurdles, what has kept me grounded is the incredible team around me. They are more than colleagues – they are family. We’ve leaned on each other through the hardest shifts, celebrated each other’s successes, and I found a lifelong partner – I met my wife Lorraine at City in 1994, although we took our time making it official, we finally got married 24 years later.”

On 10 November 2024, City Hospital closed its doors for the last time. “When it comes to saying goodbye to City, I’ve got a simple plan. I’ll be there starting at 4 a.m. I want to be present as we close the doors and transfer the last patients, carrying out that final step to Midland Met.

“A few of us old-timers have the same thought to stand in an empty department, glass in hand, and raise a toast to the place which has been our second home for many years. I’ll walk the halls one last time, capturing memories of a place which has been at the centre of my life for so long.”