Hospital porter thanks team after award nomination

A hospital porter in Lincolnshire has praised his colleagues after he was nominated for a national award.

Merv Denton, 62, who has worked for hospitals in Lincoln for 36 years, was one of about 500 entries for Porter of the Year at the MyPorter Awards in London last month.

Mr Denton said it was "good to be nominated" and that there were a "great set of lads" on his team.

"Any one of them could have been nominated because they're all really good at their job," he said.

Mr Denton went for a job interview at St George's Hospital in Lincoln in 1989 after being made redundant from his job in a bakery.

He worked at St George's for seven years before he moved to Lincoln County Hospital.

Mr Denton was among four porters shortlisted for the award which was given to Edward Thawe from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Elizabeth Morton, a nurse who has known Mr Denton for 30 years, paid tribute to his hard work.

She said: "He's careful, reliable, he cares for patients and is respectful to staff. He's always cheerful.

"And that reassures the patients. Some of the things he's taking them for can be nerve-wracking but, if Merv is cheerful and happy, that makes it easier for them."

Mr Denton was nominated by Mike Martin, team leader for porters at Lincoln County Hospital, who described porters as the "backbone" of the hospital.

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