A long-serving worker at Inverclyde Royal who 'knows the hospital building inside out' has been thanked for his efforts over nearly four decades as he prepares to retire.

Hospital staff have praised estates and facilities team member Alex McDermid after almost 37 years of going ‘above and beyond’.

Greenock man Alex started working at the hospital in 1987 and has been serving his local community since.

Regarded by many colleagues as the man who knows the hospital building more than anyone else, Alex is looking forward to his retirement but said he will miss the job he loves.

He said: “I started working at the IRH in 1987 as a maintenance technician and I have been here ever since, taking on a supervisor role seven years ago.

“When I came over here from the area laundry, my role was to fault find, electricians had their role and so did the engineers.

"So, I had a lot of room to make the role my own, I worked with external engineers and got to learn that side, so after a number of years the support they were providing then became part of my job, so that’s how I got to learn so much of the building services and building management systems.

“This job has given me stability and it’s been a great job. I always wanted to be a maintenance electrician, it is something I’ve always done and I’m so happy I have been able to do it here.

"I am retiring a bit early, but I just felt the time was right for me to do so.

“I always liked the fault finding side of the job, problem solving under pressure and getting things working again, and without blowing my own trumpet I think I’ve been good at that.

“My advice for anyone starting out is: learn from people, listen to people and help others too, share your knowledge and appreciate others’ knowledge.”

Alex finished his last shift at the hospital at the end of the month and is looking forward to spending more time with his wife as well as walking, cycling and going for a couple of holidays each year.

Ross Campbell, site manager for operational estates at the IRH, said: “I have worked with Alex for 33 years and closely for the last seven years since he became a supervisor and he’s made all of our jobs so much easier with his level of knowledge and skill, he really has gone above and beyond.

“Replacing someone like Alex is so hard to do, his dedication to the job is second to none. There is a lot of value in supporting your community like he has, even when work is happening in the background and might go unnoticed by the public.

“We would all like to thank Alex for everything he has done and wish him all the very best for his well-earned retirement.”