Don’t clap for the NHS. Just remember it.

People frequently fail to appreciate the NHS or the staff working within it, until there is a time of crisis. People moan regarding lack of appointments, lack of tests, lack of (what they believe to be) appropriate treatments. ‘They sent me home with some paracetamol?!’

Yet when everything really hits the fan and the NHS continues to provide lifesaving care, we remember how lucky we are to have it. Having recently tried to get emergency care for a patient overseas, it is a reminder that the UK rarely thinks about healthcare accessibility (with the current ambulance to doorstep target of 8 minutes.)

A blessing from Covid 19 (and there aren’t tons of them) is that healthcare workers have been brought to the forefront. Thanked. Praised. Recognised.

For so many years, they have been accused of greed, laziness and self-worth.

Yet, I assure you, any new starter beginning their career with these 3 characteristics would last 2 minutes within the National Health Service! Ask anyone who works there! The work is long, you dedicate your life to it and although it can be exceptionally rewarding, there is often a deficiency of gratitude.

Currently I am working outside of the NHS. I miss the wonderful community that binds healthcare workers within its walls. All working towards a common goal; to do right by the patients. All working every hour within the 24 available to work; enjoying delirious laughter and midnight conversations. All working to support each other; remarkable generosity between colleagues to impart knowledge on to one another.

NHS staff clean mucus, faeces, stomach fluids, blood, testicles, vaginas, rectums, ears, noses, mouths and those that have died.

There is little glamorous about a role in healthcare.

Yet doctors, especially, are often accused of making obnoxious monetary demands and refusing to work the hours required. It actually costs thousands and thousands a year to just exist as a prescribing doctor in England, let alone if you want to train and progress to be a consultant.

Likewise Nurses are accused of ‘slacking on the wards’ despite having an entire ward to manage, often and inappropriately alone, delivering medications, responding to sick patients, sometimes handing out all the patient meals, liaising with relatives and handling back to back patient calls.

In conclusion, the NHS is wonderful. I would hazard a guess that most trusts would rather exchange the spike in unprecedented recognition for the ability to continue their jobs moving forward, free of attack and blame from patients, relatives and of course the media.

Ongoing accusations, moaning and complaints are a daily factor for any large publically funded organisation. But before you sit down to write that strongly worded letter regarding your dissatisfaction with the NHS…

Remember 2020.

Remember that this service risked, and in some cases, lost, lives for you.

Remember that everything is not at face value, and what you see to be poor service may be prioritisation for someone in a more critical condition. Something that you will be grateful of when your time comes to be in that critical condition.

Remember that your access to healthcare is mirrored by someone overseas failing to treat their cancer due to lack of personal funds.

It is wonderful to praise staff, right now and to thank them for their service. But try not to forget them too.

#nhs #nationalhealthservice #health #covid19 #clap #lockdown #healthcare Arrowe Park Hospital nhs.uk Louise Naylor Monaghan Christine Jones Claire-Louise Sanderson Sarah Louise Boniface Laura Cooper Arrowe park Hospital A & E Nicholas Lelos Carmine Roberto Grasso Sulthana Ahmed Zainab Awan Charles Slade David Mayhew Leanne Cross Keeley Griffiths Kimberley Whelan-Parkinson Doaa Soliman