25/11/2025
Continuing our celebrations for CSW Day, today’s staff spotlight is Stefan Pietnik, who has shared his experience of being a Clinical Support Worker for more than three decades! 🌟🌟🌟
💬 Stefan said:
"I’ve worked as a Clinical Support Worker for over 30 years, having joined the NHS in 1991. Aside from a couple of brief periods in other roles, this has been my career for more than three decades.
Becoming a Clinical Support Worker wasn’t something I planned. I’m qualified in horticulture and had worked in that field before applying for a job at the Northern General Hospital—really on a whim, without knowing what to expect. My mother, who spent many years as a nursing auxiliary in psychiatric care, used to say that hospital work ‘gets into your blood.’ Looking back, I can see exactly what she meant.
The most rewarding part of my career has always been the patients. Seeing someone arrive very unwell and then witnessing their recovery as they return to their lives and loved ones is incredibly fulfilling. It’s humbling to know that, in a small way, I’ve contributed to that journey.
I’ve faced challenges over the years, but I’ve always felt supported, which has made even the toughest moments manageable. The Covid period was especially difficult—stressful and uncertain—but the strong leadership from senior staff and the support of colleagues made a huge difference.
For anyone considering becoming a Clinical Support Worker, I’d highlight the wide variety of duties, which can differ greatly between departments. The work can be challenging, and there is always something new to learn. Experience becomes invaluable.
As for my goals, I often say I’m old now, but I truly believe you never stop learning. My passion for the NHS has never faded. I recently became a wellbeing champion, and I hope to continue doing my best in the role and promoting wellbeing for the rest of my career.
I have many wonderful memories and proud moments. One that stands out is when a lady approached me in a café to thank me for caring for her husband. It was incredibly humbling—and not something many jobs offer.
What I enjoy most is the people. I genuinely like people, and that makes every shift meaningful. I’ve met so many wonderful individuals over the years, and it has been a privilege to care for them. The support I receive from everyone on the ward keeps me going—and hopefully will keep me caring for many years to come.Continuing our CSW Day celebrations, today’s staff spotlight is Stefan Pietnik, who has been a Clinical Support Worker for over 30 years! 🌟🌟🌟
💬 Stefan said:
"I’ve worked as a Clinical Support Worker for more than three decades, having joined the NHS in 1991. Apart from a couple of short periods in other roles, this has been my career ever since.
Becoming a CSW wasn’t something I planned. I’m qualified in horticulture and had worked in that field before applying for a job at the Northern General Hospital—really on a whim. My mother, who was a nursing auxiliary in psychiatric care, used to say hospital work ‘gets into your blood,’ and now I understand exactly what she meant.
The most rewarding part of my career has always been the patients. Seeing people arrive very unwell and then witnessing their recovery as they return to their loved ones is incredibly fulfilling. It’s humbling to know I’ve played even a small part in that journey.
There have been challenges, especially during Covid, which was stressful and uncertain, but strong leadership and the support of colleagues made a huge difference.
For anyone considering becoming a CSW, I’d highlight the wide variety of duties, which vary by department. The work can be challenging, but there is always something new to learn, and experience becomes invaluable.
As for my goals, I often joke that I’m old now, but I truly believe you never stop learning. My passion for the NHS remains strong. I recently became a wellbeing champion and hope to keep promoting wellbeing for the rest of my career.
I’ve had many proud moments, but one that stands out is when a lady approached me in a café to thank me for caring for her husband. It was incredibly humbling.
What I enjoy most is the people. Meeting so many wonderful individuals has made every shift meaningful, and the support from my ward keeps me going—hopefully for many years to come."
