A couple who spent years working for the police have switched careers to the NHS after the husband received treatment for cancer.

Ian and Mo Peebles, from Folkestone, wanted to repay the health service and show their gratitude after Ian’s treatment in 2017.

Mr Peebles, 59, retired from Kent Police because of the side effects of the treatment for lung cancer eight years ago.

But he got a fresh start and took up a role as an officer with the patient advice and liaison service (PALS) at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford - helping patients who have questions about their treatment and care.

His wife Mo, 63, left the police to work in the hospital’s operating theatres.

Mr Peebles, also an ex-soldier, said: “It was devastating to hear I had cancer. I just wanted it gone, so a week later I had surgery in London.

“The chemotherapy after that gave me side effects, including brain fog, and I knew there was a 30% chance of it coming back within five years, so I decided to take ill-health retirement and live life.

“But when the coronavirus pandemic came along I wanted to do something to help the organisation that saved my life.”

Juliet King, the cardiothoracic surgeon who operated on Mr Peebles, gave him the all-clear to go back to work.

Mr Peebles first joined East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust in 2020 and worked in the car parking team but other health problems meant he could not carry on working outside.

Reflecting on his work with the PALS team, Mr Peebles said: “It means I can still try and help people and give a little something back to the organisation that has done so much for me.

“Before I had cancer I had never set foot in a hospital – now I’ve been through the system four times, and I have more understanding of the frustrations people can sometimes feel.

“I find that a lot of my skills from the police and army work well here, and I’m happy to sit and listen to people, then pick out what is important and find a solution that works for them.

“I think the life skills I have gained are also important, so I can deal sensitively with people.

“I do miss some aspects of my previous life, working on intelligence and national security; when it pays off you can’t quantify how many lives it has saved, but this can also be rewarding.”

Mrs Peebles joined the NHS in 2019 as a decontamination officer with the theatre team.

This means looking after the instruments used in surgery and making sure the surgeons have everything they need.

She said: “I saw a theatre support worker job advertised when Ian was still going through chemo and thought I would go for it.

“I really wanted to give something back, because of the care he received, but I also had my children here and had cataract treatment.

“This is just as fast paced as my old job and it’s very rewarding to be part of a patient’s experience.

“The theatre is like one big family, and we care so much for our patients.”

Mr Peebles served in the army and was a security manager for Tesco before joining the police at the turn of the millennium.

Mrs Peebles had been in the police's central referring unit, dealing with incoming calls.

The couple have four children and six grandchildren.