Surgeon marks 30 years in theatre

Graham Sefton is celebrating three decades as an orthopaedic surgeon at Harrogate District Hospital since taking up the post in 1980.

Mr Sefton says he has seen changes for the better since then. "I've seen lots of people come and even retire while I've been working in Harrogate, but the most noticeable thing about this hospital is the stability of the staff. People like working here and tend to stay a long time.

"You see some real characters who are remembered years later when they return as patients."

Mr Sefton also said hospital stays are now far shorter than they used to be. He said: "There were only three orthopaedic consultants in those days and you moved to where the jobs came up. I was just lucky to get Harrogate and that was the only vacancy here for the next 13 years.

"The changes I've seen have been for the better. Then patients stayed in hospital for anything between 15 days and three months, but now they can go home a lot quicker."