Operating Department Practitioner, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Jacqueline Johnson — known affectionately to everyone as Jacky — has dedicated 50 years of her life to the NHS. Based in the Treatment Centre theatres at Winchester Hospital, she has worked across Hampshire Hospitals in a variety of roles, building a reputation not just for clinical excellence but for the warmth, care, and dedication she brings to every single shift.

As an Operating Department Practitioner, Jacky works at the heart of surgical care, supporting theatre teams through some of the most complex and high-pressure procedures in the hospital. From resuscitating critically unwell infants to supporting trauma lists for patients aged over 100, she has seen and done it all — always with the same quiet professionalism and generosity of spirit. When new and highly complex surgical equipment was recently introduced, Jacky threw herself into preparation, spending considerable time and emotional energy ensuring the operating list ran safely, efficiently, and successfully for every patient on it.

But it is the human qualities that colleagues speak of most. Surgeons are greeted with a cup of tea and a kind word. Colleagues receive morning hugs, homemade treats, and the kind of steadfast support that makes difficult days manageable. As one long-standing colleague puts it: “There is no one else I’d rather have at my side.”