BRENDAN Tate began his NHS career as a young hospital porter and for many years has been the public face of Bradford Royal Infirmary. Now the hospital receptionist has retired, after more than 40 years service.

Brendan, 59, of Sandy Lane joined Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a porter in September 1980 as a ‘stop gap’ after redundancy from a previous job. He enjoyed it so much he stayed and by 1990, he was a portering manager, later assistant business planner. He moved to site manager at St Luke’s Hospital before returning to the BRI as assistant waiting list manager. Following a move to security manager, he returned to the BRI's non-clinical department and transport team.

In 2010 due to ill health he stepped back from management and fronted the BRI reception desk. For the last 11 years he has directed patients and visitors to appointments and wards.

As a teenager Brendan suffered from chronic glomerulonephritis, an infection which kills both kidneys, and in his early 20s his kidneys started failing. He has undergone three transplants at St James’ Hospital, Leeds; the third one, in January 2020, failed within days. Now Brendan is back on home haemodialysis, a process he has spent almost 15 years of his life on.

Brendan who, with wife Kathy, has two sons, one of whom is an IT technician for the Trust, is hooked up to a machine three times a week, but remains cheerful. “I was in Jimmy’s for six weeks this year, it was a dark time when the transplant failed but I’m back home and I need to get my strength back to get back on the list," said Brendan. “I was really poorly in Jimmy’s and Kathy wasn’t allowed to visit, I never saw a human face for six weeks. The doctors and nurses wore PPE, you don’t realise how much not seeing a face means. That was really tough.”

Brendan thanked the Trust's renal, medical and surgical teams, including Dr John Stoves, Dr Robin Jeffrey, and plastics surgeon, Sharif Al-Ghazal: “My 41 years at the Trust has flown in the blink or an eye. I’ve had the time of my life," said Brendan. “I couldn’t have done my jobs without the help and backing of my wonderful colleagues. I've met some incredible people during my career. No wonder the NHS is the envy of the world."

Brendan, a member of Clayton Scooter Club, plans to head out on his beloved Vespa and Lambretta scooters once his health improves.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals chief executive Mel Pickup, said: “Brendan, thank you for your devotion and long service to our hospitals. Your warm smile and hearty laugh will be much missed but we wish you all the best for a happy, healthy and very long retirement!”