Radiographers reunite after training together at Leeds General Infirmary 50 years ago

A group of radiographers who began their training at Leeds General Infirmary 50 years ago have marked the milestone by meeting up back at their old stomping ground.

- By Jennifer Cornish Contributor

Eleven of the 15, who in October 1975 started studying in what was then the School of Radiography in Brotherton Wing, gathered together to share their memories and catch up on the intervening decades. Many remained in the profession for their entire working lives and were keen to encourage others to consider radiography as a career.

Seven of the trainees were lucky enough to be employed at LGI straight after qualifying. Fiona Ware enjoyed a 43-year career at St James's University Hospital working in Nuclear Medicine.

"We had a good basic training that gave us a solid foundation," she said, adding that the LGI workplace was very different in the 1970s.

"It was very regimented - we all had different coloured epaulettes depending on our rank.

"We girls all wore uniform dresses. In the summer you had to keep your tights on whatever the weather, until the management took theirs off - once they'd been on holiday and got a tan."

Sandra Laing worked in Harrogate after qualifying, eventually settling in her native Norfolk. She said: "I would recommend it as a career, it's a really interesting job. There's a lot of art to it as well as science. You want to get the perfect picture for your patient - without the right picture the radiologist can't make the diagnosis."