THREE decades of medical experience could hardly have been a better preparation for what confronted Major Sharon Goff on her first visit to Afghanistan earlier this year.

The 52-year-old, who is originally from Wolsingham, County Durham, works as a nurse practitioner at the urgent care walk-in centre Doctor Piper House, in Darlington.

That’s her day job, anyway. A volunteer with the Territorial Army, the mother-of-one spent four months earlier this year as a trauma nurse coordinator (TNC) at the British military base Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.

Having spent years waiting for the chance to do her bit in the war zone, Maj Goff has now slotted back into working at the walk-in centre, which she describes as her main job.

She joined the NHS in 1978 and has worked in health care nearly continuously ever since, with the longest break a seven month maternity leave to give birth to her son, Elliot, who is now 22.

She began her career in the South of England, with stints in Hong Kong and China, before returning in 1989, working as a district nurse in Durham City and Chester-le-Street.

It was at the age of 40 that she was approached by the military.

She said: “It was felt that, because of my community background and years of clinical experience, I would be beneficial to the Army.

“My initial reaction was ‘I am far too old’ and I would probably not take to the discipline very well.”

She was persuaded to give it a go and a two-week taster confirmed her desire to diversify.

What of the contrast between treating day-to-day health problems and helping service personnel with potentially life-threatening injuries?

Maj Goff, who lives in Durham, said: “In my NHS job, I see a cross-section of the general public, normally with very minor ailments and injuries – everyone from newborn babies up to quite elderly people.

“The difference looking after military personnel in a very tough environment such as Helmand is that they are predominantly very healthy, but suffering severe trauma. So there is quite a difference.”

As part of her work as a trauma nurse co-ordinator in Afghanistan, Maj Goff helps to oversee the evacuation of injured troops back to the UK.

She added: “I work with the academic department of Military Emergency Medicine, in Birmingham, which is responsible for the evacuation of every soldier that is wounded.

“Our work also informs Government policy in terms of the kit and equipment troops are issued with. A lot of soldiers were suffering pelvic injuries in improvised explosive device blasts, they now wear pelvic protection.”

Maj Goff also worked alongside equivalents from the US Army during her time in Afghanistan, helping drive through improvements to working practices based on sharing experiences and expertise.

In terms of work-load, there are comparisons to be made between being overseas and back home.

Maj Goff said: “The TNC job is very, very stressful and also exceptionally busy – my average day was 15 hours long, seven days a week.

“I work 13-and-a-half-hour shifts at Doctor Piper House, which is exceptionally busy and it is not unusual to have 150 people in per day, split between three or four of us.”

It remains to be seen whether another deployment to Afghanistan is on the cards for Maj Goff.

She praised her colleagues for their support, as well as her employer, NHS County Durham and Darlington, for allowing her to fulfil both roles.

But which does she prefer? “I feel extremely privileged that I can do both,” she said. “I do not have a preference. That is the honest truth.”