Much Loved NHS Hero Celebrates 60 Years Of Service With The Royal Surrey

Published on: 3 Jun, 2020
Updated on: 4 Jun, 2020

A much loved 80-year-old NHS hero, Javed Butt, celebrates his 60th anniversary of working at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Butt first began his long career with the NHS on June 6. 1960. He began working as a technician in the radiology department at Milford Community Hospital, then known as Milford Chest Hospital.

Javed Butt started working at Milford Chest Hospital in 1960.

He initially only planned to work there for three years while studying electrical engineering at Guildford College. But while working at Milford, Mr Butt met his future wife Lisa, who was an operating theatre nurse at the hospital. They were married in 1962 and went on to have two sons.

In his spare time, he is a keen photographer and in the mid 1960s he began working an additional two afternoons a week for the trust’s medical illustration department, then based at St Luke’s Hospital in Guildford.

Sixty years later and at the age of 80, Mr Butt continues to normally work five mornings a week in the radiology department at Milford Community Hospital and two afternoons a week with the medical illustration team at the Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Javed and Lisa Butt at Christmas dance at Milford Hospital in 1966.

Mr Butt said: “I can’t quite believe it has been 60 years since I started working for Royal Surrey – I have enjoyed every minute of it.

“Although it would have been fantastic to be able to celebrate with my colleagues, I am staying safe at home with the goal of getting back to work as soon as I can.”

Louise Stead, chief executive of the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, said: “What an extraordinary achievement.

“Javed must be one if the longest serving NHS employees and I’m really proud that he has chosen to spend his career with us.

“His dedication, hard work and tenacity is inspiring to us all and we are incredibly lucky to have him as a member of our Royal Surrey family.

“We hope he has a fantastic day celebrating at home and we look forward to welcoming him back when it is safe for him to do so.”

The article is based on a press release from the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust.