Reflections on a Perioperative Career: 1970-2008 (REFLECTIONS‪)‬

Introduction This paper reviews a personal journey through a career in perioperative practice in England from 1970 to the present. The reflections are based on experiences at work and also on the wider picture of many changes that have taken place during these 38 years. Political influences are discussed in this paper as they inevitably play a part in shaping the National Health Service (NHS) and affect the working lives of its employees. Due to the reflective nature of this account, some of the observations and opinions expressed are personal and therefore not referenced, and in places the first person writing style is used rather than abstract or academic terms.