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After nearly 15 years at the heart of a local charity, Carolyn Oxburgh is retiring as the Service Manager of the Guernsey Chest & Heart Centre in order to spend more time with friends and family in the UK.
Carolyn Oxburgh, a former Practice nNurse at The Healthcare Group, has always been passionate about preventing and managing disease but feels as if she has "run out of steam" and needs a break.
However, she has no intention of giving up charity work completely. "I am hopeful I can find a small role within the charity sector. All the people I know who are retired say they are busier than ever so hopefully it will be the same for me!"
Mrs Oxburgh moved to the island with her husband in 1999, having worked at the Middlesex Hospital in London and as a District Nurse.
"As a practice nurse I offered health promotion advice, as well as advising people with asthma and diabetes on ways to manage their conditions.
"This role was right up my street as I could encourage people to make lifestyle changes to improve their health prospects, which is a lot of what the Chest and Heart service is about."
The charity, which recently underwent a complete renovation of its Oberland’s clinic, has been providing a free screening service for islanders for 47 years during which it has seen nearly 30,000 clients.
As a charity that relies solely on donations, part of her job has been to make the service as efficient and cost-effective as possible. One of the highlights of Mrs Oxburgh’s career has been the centre's renovation.
"Three years ago we decided that there was a need to refurbish the unit as it was very dated," she said.
"Stan Brouard kindly offered us temporary premises while the Oberlands building was completely gutted and refurbished by Norman Piette, with the support of a number of other generous suppliers. We now have a wonderful state of the art new centre that has a welcoming reception area and four new screening rooms, as well as disabled access. Returning clients all comment on how lovely the building is now.
"We have also been able to increase our visits to workplaces to offer blood pressure and weight checks, which is an excellent way for businesses to care for their staff."
Above all else, Mrs Oxburgh joined the service to help save lives and continue the work she had been doing in healthcare to that point.
"Over the years we have had many clients saying how their visit encouraged them to make lifestyle changes, which have improved their health. The screening process has enabled us to pick up abnormalities that clients would otherwise not have known about, so that their GP’s can advise on the best medical treatment.
"I am still passionate about preventative care but the time has come for somebody else to take over the reins and carry the service forward. If I have enabled the charity to provide a service that is well respected, where GPs feel confident to refer their patients, and clients feel that they have received a friendly and efficient service, then I will have done my job."
Chest and Heart Chairman Dr Stephen Brennand Roper said Mrs Oxburgh has been an outstanding centre manager, combining the roles of screening nurse and highly professional administrator, as well as charity fundraiser and marketeer.
"She has overseen the transformation of the unit and introduced a new digital system, which have been the most significant changes in the history of the Chest and Heart service, and kept things going throughout that time and through the pandemic.
"She thoroughly deserves her retirement after her long years of dedicated service and we all wish her the very best for her future."
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