IT isn’t often that people walk into a job straight out of school and stay there for the next four decades.

But this is the case for Rob Wilkinson who is retiring from Warrington Hospital after 42 years of service.

Rob started at the trust back in 1982, straight after he left Penketh High School with three science A-levels.

At the time, new starters were given the chance to rotate around all four laboratories in pathology. They could then pick their favourite to specialise in.

Rob liked the unpredictability of the transfusions department and also had a good mentor, so this is what he chose.

He then worked his up to haematology service manager, a role he has held since 2005.

What has kept the 59-year-old in the job for so long is his passion for it, as well as his team.

“It is about the buzz you get when you think you have made a difference to someone’s life,” he said.

“You just never know what could happen in this job.

“Also the team I have now is the best I have had, I am sorry to leave them.”

Warrington Guardian: Rob is retiring next week

Throughout Rob’s career, there have been many highlights,

A key one for him is staff development – for which he is known for.

One of Rob’s colleagues said: “What he is brilliant at is bringing his staff through, both training and developing them.”

Rob has built up close relationships with local universities that sees students spend a placement year at Warrington Hospital.

They then return to their studies for a year with the aim of coming back to the Lovely Lane site to start work once they complete their degree.

Rob has also worked closely with the charity Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes who provide free emergency transport service for the trust.

This has saved the department a lot of money and has also significantly reduced turnaround time for those waiting for blood.

Rob’s 42-year career has not come without its challenges. One of the hardest days in his job was the day of the Warrington bomb attack in 1993.

He was not working that day and was on his way to a Liverpool match when he heard about the incident on the radio.

So he turned around and headed to the hospital to check on things. He then didn’t leave the Lovely Lane site, where there were around 50 casualties, for 10 hours later.

The pandemic was also a challenging time for Rob and the transfusions department.

Rob will be retiring next Thursday and has plans to celebrate with his team.

He also has plenty of plans for his retirement with his wife Jan.

This includes visiting his son David and grandchildren Theo and Grace in Chicago a lot more, playing more golf, and continuing to watch Warrington Wolves and Liverpool.

“Retiring will feel so strange, it is going to feel really weird,” Rob said.

“These days, it isn’t often that people walk out of school and into a job that they are still in 42 years later.”