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A Whittington nurse who is about to retire after a career spanning 40 years has urged people to carry on fighting for the “wonderful organisation” that is the NHS.

Ginette Williams, 60, will work her last shift at the Magdala Avenue hospital on Wednesday after three decades at the Whittington.

Colleagues and friends from across the hospital trust gathered this week to wish her a happy retirement. Among those present were her long-time friend, MP Jeremy Corbyn, and Steve Hitchins, chairman of Whittington Health.

“I’ve had a wonderful career in nursing,” the mother-of-two from Archway said.

“I’ve loved working in the children’s ward, in ambulatory care, here at the Whittington. There are some great nurses here. It’s a great hospital and the paediatrics department is wonderful.”

Ms Williams did her nursing training in west London and worked at Hammersmith Hospital before coming to the Whittington in 1984. Both her daughters were born at the hospital.

She converted to paediatrics in 1999, becoming part of the team delivering specialist care to children and young people.

Ms Williams launched a passionate defence of the health service, saying: “We have to carry on absolutely supporting the NHS. It is just the most wonderful organisation but it’s having a hard time and I just think we need to support it and fight for it.

“There are certainly people who don’t want it to keep going but I think we need to do everything we can to keep it.”

After her last shift next week, Ms Williams will take a break to redecorate her flat and is looking forward to her niece getting married this weekend. She added: “It’s just a new chapter in my life. I’m not completely going to stop working. I’m looking forward to retirement but I’ve always worked so in a month I might feel different. I will certainly miss the hospital.

“I will still continue my voluntary work at Home Start [supporting families with young children] in Camden but I don’t really have any other plans at the moment. I will have a bit of a rest and see what happens. I might even do a bit of nursing here and there.”

Mr Hitchins said: “Ginette has been a huge part of our children’s ward for over 30 years and she will be sorely missed.”