Happy birthday NHS!

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service on 5 July, we meet three amazing nurses

- ALICE GREBOT

'I've seen how precious life is'

Lucy Bradford, 45, is an advanced clinical practitioner for older persons' care in Suffolk. She has worked for the NHS since 1995.

I always wanted to be a nurse. I remember visiting my great aunt in hospital and being fascinated by the nurses.

I began my career at 15, with a Saturday job in a nursing home, before becoming a healthcare assistant. At the age of 19, I began my nursing studies, qualifying in 2000. Since then, I've done everything from 14 years in intensive care to joining a critical-care outreach programme. COVID-19 was a huge challenge - I went back to the ITU for four months. It was terrifying - like standing at the edge of the ocean and waiting for a tsunami to hit.

Nursing has had a big impact on how I look at life: I've seen how precious it is, and how quickly it can be taken away.

'Receiving the George Cross was one of the greatest moments of my life'