After 47 years, health visitor Julie Lowther has retired from the NHS, with her colleagues and friends sad to see her go but wishing her all the very best. 

Julie, 64, who lives in Gee Cross in Hyde with husband Nick, a retired community planner, says they will spend more time with their two daughters who live in Leeds and Devon and three-year-old granddaughter Robyn. 

Julie joined Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 19 years ago after a career which has taken her to Plymouth and Torbay in Devon, Nottingham and Manchester. 

She is a registered sick children's nurse and registered health visitor and her long and varied career has included auxiliary work in theatres, to staff nurse roles in adult and children's specialities, and paediatric sister roles in ENT, orthopaedics, accident and emergency and outpatients. 

After almost 30 years in acute services, in 2004 Julie trained as a health visitor in Tameside, and has been with the Trust in Hyde ever since. 

In that time, she has been a team leader and also a practice teacher, training and inspiring many new health visitors, and also new practice teachers. 

Peter Weller, Director of Nursing and Integrated Governance, said: "Julie is such a valued member of the Health Visiting Team. We have been very lucky to have had the most recent years of Julie's career. 

"She is a true professional and role model; her standards have always remained at the very highest level and she is dedicated to providing the best possible services for children and families." 

Gina Whitehead, Healthy Child Programme Team Leader, added: "Julie has always been committed to developing her own knowledge and skills, and to the education of others. 

"She's been such a valuable member of the team over the years and we are obviously really sad to see her go, but wish her all the very best well-earned retirement." 

Julie says her time in Tameside has been a happy one and she's considering a return to the NHS at some time in the future. 

"For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a nurse," Julie said. "My career has given me the opportunity to work with some fantastic people and to help lots of patients and families. It's time to spend some time with my lovely family now." 

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