Aoife O'Brien: Grattan Street, Healthcare, Working Life

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Role in Grattan Street Medical Centre

Clerical Officer in Grattan Street Medical Centre for 18/19 years. From Cathedral Road originally. Only Northsider working in Grattan Street Medical Centre!

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Background, Childhood and Games

Grew up in cul-de-sac terrace called School Avenue.

Primary school: St Vincent’s.

Games: “piggy”, skipping ropes. Convinced her friends that there were fairies in trees by her house. Took over older sister Sinead’s job in Grattan Street Medical Centre. They played together with Sinead as the teacher and Aoife as the student in their grandmother’s room using chalk which got on grandmother’s clothes and she never knew when it came from. Started school with boys & girls she was friends with and still friends with many of them today.

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Childhood Games: Piggy

Describes the game how it’s made and its rules (also known as hopscotch or pickey) chalk on the road and use a shoe polish tin. Very popular where Aoife was from.

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Grand Mother’s shop on Churchfield Green.

Grandmother’s surname was Stephens and people who know Aoife from the shop know her as Aoife Stephens. Had friends up near the shop. Shop closed 20 years ago. Her dad drove her and siblings from school to the shop after school. Her mom worked up there.

Aoife and her friend Paula went to the “Pound Shop” or collected old wool from people’s houses to make ponytails in imitation of Like “Rainbow Brite Dolls”.

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Grandmother’s Shop- description, shopping notes, fun

Shop was hub of activity. Customers sent up notes with the items they wanted. Children played hiding in fridges. “Light-fingered”- as children they took things from the shop. It was a grocery shop selling: milk, bread, cold meats, sweets, cigarettes.

Recalls a funny incident when her cousin Leonard got a note which had “S. Towels” meaning sanitary towels but he asked his dad “what are stowels?”

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Grandmother: Description, her Funeral, Summer Holidays with her, Christmas Day, Caring for others, Cooking Tripe and Drisheen

Aoife thought her grandmother wasn’t patient because she had a quick tongue. Now looking back she thinks she was very patient. Aoife’s sister went to live with their grandmother when granddad died.

Used to stay in caravans down in Youghal. Eventually they rented a house from a woman called Maureen. About 13 children stayed there in Youghal with grandmother for the summer. Grandmother doted on all of them.

At her funeral people had very fond memories of her. She was an agony aunt and confidante. A neighbour could chat in the shop for 3 hours with her.

Family always went to grandmother’s house for Christmas Day. When grandmother sold the house she came to live with Aoife’s family and the rest of the family came to them for Christmas.  

Grandmother always had an apron or pinnies [pinafores]. She was glamourous at the time. She used to go to the Isle of Man and she used to wear wigs because they were in fashion. Aoife called her grandmother Mrs Bijoux because she had so much jewellery. She would put so much jewellery on for special occasions that she probably couldn’t bend some of her fingers! She had fur coats. A lovely old lady. Grey hair and loved her cigarettes. She never really inhaled them it was just a habit and for comfort. Loved chocolate. Went for a nap after dinner. She woke at dawn and put the washing on.

She cooked tripe and drisheen for Aoife’s dad who worked nights in Irish Steel. Grandmother loved feeding people. Steak and gravy could be cooked in the morning so Aoife’s mom only had to heat it up. “The smell alone would turn me off” the tripe and drisheen. “Fairly gruesome now to be honest”. “she knew by my face not to even ask” if Aoife wanted to taste any.

0.13.23 - 0.14.55

Christmas Day

Start 10am. Aoife’s parents & her 3 sisters. Uncle Jim now deceased. Aunt Geraldine. Grandmother had 2 girls and 2 boys. Neighbours would call in. Everyone in a small kitchen. It was the hub of the family. Fighting over toys and batteries.

0.14.55 - 0.16.53

School

Enjoyed it. As admin for the vaccinations department in Grattan Street Medical Centre she has goes back to St Vincent’s twice a year for vaccines: HPV (human papillomavirus), Men C (meningitis C) and Tdap (tetanus and low dose diphtheria and low dose pertussis (whooping cough) booster). School still looks and smells the same. Saw her picture on the wall sitting next to two girls who she is still best friends with now.

Liked the subjects Art, French and Business Organisation (“Biz Org”).

0.16.53 - 0.20.11

After School: Courses and Jobs

Did a secretarial course in Terence MacSwiney Community College and a City and Guilds Course. Work experience in solicitor’s office in Washington Street doing dictation and typing but felt a little bit like it was over her head. Worked in Dovertron Electronics in Dublin Hill which had the contract for the Sky Box where she worked for 6 months.

Worked in Bourns Electronics: 8 months soldering. Saturday job in a butchers in North Main Street- she hated smell of meat lasted 3 Saturdays!

Handed in CV to line manager and staff officers in HSE. Offered job 2 weeks after the interview. Feels like Grattan Street Medical Centre won’t let her go. Feels like part of the furniture.

The secretarial skills course she took included: computer skills, typing, floppy disks, word processing, dictation, typing, telephone manner,

0.20.11 - 0.22.31

Recalls Grattan Street when visiting her sister before working there

Aoife used to call into Grattan Street Medical Centre to visit her sister who worked there. She attended Michael O’Sullivan in the eye clinic when she was in school. She was familiar with the building. It is strange to be working in the building where she had been as a patient. There was a school nurse who she was afraid of and Aoife became her secretary.

Smoking: Canteen was halved at the time and smokers were on one side of it. People could smoke in their offices.

She stepped into her sister’s job. She felt very welcomed.

Aoife says that she doesn’t take direction very well, she prefers to do things her way. Her sister was very particular.

0.22.31 - 0.25.00

Memories as a Patient- and pretending to need glasses!

Dark room, waiting to be called. As a child she was desperate to get glasses and braces. She used take silver foil from cigarette packets to put around teeth to imitate braces. She wore her grandfather’s glasses which had thick lenses “like jam jars” in the hope that she herself would need to wear glasses. She told Dr (Michael) O’Sullivan that she couldn’t see much of the (eye-test) board. Later on, after a year or two working in Grattan Street Medical Centre, she discovered that she did need glasses.

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Difficult to leave Grattan Street Medical Centre

Sister loved Grattan Street Medical Centre and was heartbroken to leave. Aoife has been in her office since March 2001. In facy she has been there longer than she has been in her own home. “My whole life story is been in the walls”. Leaving Grattan Street Medical Centre is tough for her and some of the others working there.

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Description of Role and duties

Every child in junior infants is offered a vision check MMR, booster vaccination and senior infant child is offered hearing check. Aoife and Síle (Sheila?) in Grattan Street Medical Centre cover the North Lee area from Macroom to Youghal, not the city, Glounthaune, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Midleton area. Aoife works from the city to east Cork, there’s a very big workload so she must be organised. It’s a very rewarding job. It requires building a rapport with primary schools and secretaries.

As part of her work she needs to: send out forms to 58 primary schools and get packs ready for the schools and all the students and get the forms back by courier. The form have to be sorted based on the vaccination date schedule and people removed from the list if they refuse the vaccine. They also check that children weren’t vaccinated before eg. a “repeat student” (a student repeating a class or year) or maybe the student has lived in another country where they were vaccinated so that must be followed up.  

They are almost busier in the summer months because the details of every child that has been vaccinated must be inputted into the system.

Aoife gets called a lot because she has been in Grattan Street Health Centre for so long that she has many answers to questions, for instance she buys all of the stationery for the building.

The computer system has changed in the last few years, it’s now a national system. Previously there was one system for Cork and Kerry but a different one for Galway etc. The new system is more time consuming at present but will be easier in the long run.

Cards on the database. Notes written on the cards which are kept as well.

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Vaccinations in Secondary Schools

Aoife goes to secondary schools providing administrative support as part of the vaccine programme. Visits a school twice: once for 1^st dose of HPV and Men C and then 2^nd dose of HPV and the Tdap. Boys aren’t given HPV at present but they will next year (2020) which will make things very busy.

Either Aoife brings the forms or the AMO Area Medical Officer will. Sometimes the school secretary sends 4^th years (fourth year /transition year students) to help them. Checks that the students have the right consent forms. Ensures that the students get back to class after waiting 15 minutes after the vaccination.

First time the students have been at an appointment or vaccination without a parent. A bit of nerves from them.

Tdap is Tetannus. Men C for meningitis. HPV the cervical cancer vaccine.

Aoife says that nobody wants to get a vaccine but generally it’s fine.

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Rare cases of people refusing vaccines and possible reasons why

Not many people refuse the vaccinations. Some consent forms are confusing for people, especially if English is not their first languages. Aoife sees form where people sign to accept and refuse a vaccination so those have to be cleared up.

When a child is vaccinated a parent has to be present.

People refuse vaccines for personal reasons- don’t agree with them or have never taken them and won’t start now. Aoife mentions the controversy around the MMR but says that she cannot get involved as an admin. If she or a parent is unsure about something there is a doctor on call to answer any questions re vaccines.

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The Building itself in Grattan Street Medical Centre

Aoife thinks that the Grattan Street Medical Centre building has character, it is quirky. It is not clinical like you think a medical centre might be. “There’s probably music in the walls of this building”, “It’s a happy building”. The roof leaks, door hinges break, things crack and things break. She has shared the office with the same girl for a few years and they will be separated when they leave. They know when to talk to each other or leave each other alone.

Pigeon poo has come down from the ceiling onto people.

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Neighbourhood around Grattan Street Medical Centre

So near town. On lunch can go to the bank. Few houses that live around them know them. Car park has been a source of hatred because so many use it and the school as well. No point in falling out with staff or neighbours over cars. A few people “fond of the drink” would come into the building there was never trouble there were always characters about the area. Could find people sleeping rough at the side of the building.

Will miss the location. Know the people in the local shops and chemists with whom she’s built up relationships. Goes to the furniture shop on North Main Street, they ask when she’s leaving Grattan Street Medical Centre and she says “don’t mention the war! Just don’t talk about it because I can’t talk about it.” Feels it’s the end of an era and it’s sad.

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Moving to St Mary’s Primary Care Centre Gurranbraher

Aoife’s workplace is moving to the old orthopaedic hospital now the St Mary’s Primary Care Centre in Gurranabraher. She feels institutionalised being in Grattan Street Medical Centre so long. Aoife has organised social aspect of Grattan Street Medical Centre eg. the Christmas party and lunch parties for people leaving. She even once served lunch after she had made the orders. It’s like a family away from home. There’s about 50 staff but never there at the same time.

GPs, mental health, public health nursing, dental will all be up in St Mary’s. Aoife wonders about how they will keep the soul of Grattan Street Medical Centre when they move. Some people are delighted to be moving to a new building. But for Aoife it’s the people that make it.

Change is good even though it’s scary. Will ensure they still do nights out, lunches, Christmas events. Wants to keep something about Grattan Street Medical Centre as well.

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Social Aspects of Grattan Street Medical Centre

Tradition before Christmas breakup day bring some food to the canteen between 12:30-2:30 big lunch in canteen. A feast- people make the effort. Aoife puts Christmas music on an old CD player. Some people play instruments eg. Violin.

Party night at the airport hotel, plays. You can’t please everyone- you’ll never get the date right or the venue right.

Takes lots of patience and organisation to do the social events. Recommends that people pay for the meal beforehand and she gives the restaurant the money and then everyone pays for everything extra themselves.

0.54.30 - 0.56.45

Organising Social Events and responsibility for money

People think when you work for HSE they may think you get subsidised nights out. Mindful that she’s handling other people’s money. Bad snow one Christmas and only 2 members of staff made it to the party in Oriel House Ballincollig. There was no refund and that may have affected the turnout the next years.

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Stories from Grattan Street

Wasps coming through the decorative vents in the ceiling one year.

Leaks in the roof.

Boiler broke down and Aoife spotted smoke on the way to work.

Flooding prevented staff from getting to work in Grattan Street.

Professor Drumm (Brendan Drumm) head of HSE was visiting and there was new cutlery arrived and lots of scones from Duggan’s cake shop around the corner. Aoife was giving the scones to people as they were leaving even Prof Drumm.

0.59.20 - 1.04.00

Assumptions about the HSE

Aoife has a pensionable job and works hard for it. And HSE is in the news a lot, eg the cervical test issues. But Aoife can only account for the work she does. Elderly people would always ask her the same two questions; can you get me a medical card and can you get me glasses?

Welfare officers used to be downstairs in Grattan Street Medical Centre there could be an array of different characters. Sometimes there would be uproar with someone trying to skip the queue for the welfare officer.

Gone to look at the style in weddings in the registry office in the front of the building.

First gay marriage in Cork in the registry office.

Everyone gets on there’s never been a major falling out between staff. Nice, friendly place to work even though shabby.

Taken phone calls from elderly people who are looking for a different department and Aoife goes out of her way to help them.

1.04.00 - 1.06.39

Crimes and Old Dispensary

Doctor’s handbag was taken and the thief got disorientated ran into the clinic room not out front door and dropped his mobile phone.

Someone covered Sean (the porter’s) duties and a laptop was stolen.

Aoife’s car was broken into one day.

People had a misconception that Grattan Street Medical Centre was the old dispensary that there was drugs there. Only thing they could get was head lice lotion, bandages.

Says the building belonged to the Mormons [means Quakers] who gave it to HSE to help the poor of Cork.

1.06.39 - 1.09.15

Accidents: Windows and Filing Cabinet

Window have been here for a while. Sign on her office window which said “brrrrrr” and that was the noise the window made when it was windy! The window came away from the fitting one day while opening it.

Hit her head into an open filing cabinet after answering phone once. Went to the Mercy (hospital) with the cut which wasn’t able to be stitched.

1.09.15 - 1.11.13

Cars

Aoife was youngest in Grattan Street Medical Centre for a long time. “The baby of Grattan Street”. Aoife has a thing for cars. Could go out at lunchtime and could come back with a new car. Went to move her car and someone told her to call her parent to move it because she looked so young.

1.11.13 - 1.12.00

Ghost of Grattan Street Medical Centre

Someone had a meeting and something fell and Sean the porter told them it was the ghost. Aoife says the “Ghost is actually real” heartbroken and traumatised by having to leave.

1.12.00 - 1.12.58

Different Dynamics in new Primary Care Centre

Dynamics will be different in St Mary’s: won’t all be meeting in the canteen or chatting

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Changes to job in new Primary Care Centre

Currently all files and printer are in her office but in St Mary’s those are all centralised. Expects teething problems.          

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Grattan Street can’t let go of Aoife

Would still take the job if she had the time over. Even though Aoife has tried to leave her job a few times something has always happened so that she ended up staying eg. an application form she sent off was blank, once there was a mix up with a panel, another time the job she went for changed from HSE to social work, she lost 6 family members in 6 or 7 years.

Always had someone to turn to, support, friendly ear and chat in Grattan Street Medical Centre.

“Burning the place down so no one can have it!”

1.16.32 - 01.18.40

Hopes for future of Grattan Street Medical Centre

Disability services, child adolescent mental health, eating disorder clinic. Hate to see it turned into apartments. Lovely community- it should be kept. Food after Christmas parties is brought up to Edel House and food brought to Penny Dinners as well. Lots of vulnerable people in the area and lots of elderly people. Hopes podiatry can keep a room for foot care for the elderly with diabetes etc. prefer to see it remain as something that’s giving to the community.

1.18.40 - 1.19.01

Reflections on Grattan Street as Workplace

Quirky characters. Fun place to work.

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Fairies

Aoife imagined fairies in the trees at her childhood home. Says she has a great imagination. She perhaps took the idea from The “Secret Garden”, she also loved “The Never Ending Story”.

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Outro

Interview Ends