A NURSE who has become a familiar friendly face at an Oxford hospital has retired after clocking up more than 30 years of service.

Nelia Roper, known as Nellie, has been a nurse at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) in Headington for 33 years.

Mother-of-two Ms Roper, originally from the Philippines and now living in Cowley, enjoyed a farewell buffet with her colleagues at the hospital on Friday.

Louise Flaxman, ward sister on the Bone Infection Unit where Ms Roper worked, said the team would miss the bubbly, lively member of staff.

She said: “Nellie represents everything a nurse should be.

“She’s a kind, caring, hardworking and dedicated individual and is extremely well known amongst both staff and patients.

“We will miss her and her cheery smile a great deal.”

During her career Ms Roper has seen the Bone Infection Unit develop from a five-bed ward to a 25-bed unit, part of the Nuffield orthopedic Centre NHS Trust.

She was one of the first nurses to treat patients with the MRSA superbug, and remembers having to dress in a “spaceman-like suit” with goggles and gloves.

Ms Roper, who qualified in 1976, was presented with a long service award by the NOC’s inpatient services manager, Sue Wheeler, at the farewell buffet.

Ms Roper, 60, said: “I will miss everyone a lot. The staff, the other nurses, the doctors.

“I will also really miss the patients. I have really enjoyed my time here.”

She said she plans to spend her retirement relaxing with her family and indulging her love of cooking.

Mrs Wheeler said: “Twenty-five years ago Nellie was one of the first nurses to look after MRSA patients – dressed in space suits and wearing goggles.

“She is a valued colleague and well known throughout the trust.

“We will all miss her laughter.”

The centre provides routine and specialist orthopedic and rheumatological services such as the treatment of bone infection and bone tumours.

It was opened in 1872 as the Wingfield Convalescent Home from public donations and became an orthopedic hospital in 1921.

The Wingfield-Morris Orthopedic Hospital was renamed the Nuffield Orthopedic Centre in 1950 and became the Nuffield orthopedic Centre NHS Trust in 1991.