Marking 72 years of our NHS

July 2, 2020

Spending 92 days in hospital and seven weeks in a coma, COVID-19 patient Monica Tatton was discharged from City Hospital exactly one week ago. She knows that without the NHS she would not be alive today. As one of over 900 patients we have treated and discharged during the pandemic to date, Monica said she is eternally grateful for the kindness she experienced, from all those who treated and cared so well for her. As you know it is only a few days before we will be marking 72 years of our life saving, care giving, free at the point of delivery national institution, and we would like to invite all colleagues to get involved. It is fitting this year that our theme this year is on kindness, both given and received, so our hashtag #SWBshinealight is where we spotlight the kindness we have been shown throughout the pandemic.

Without doubt, this has been the most challenging year for health services since the formation of the NHS, and by being inundated with kindness, we are keen to reflect back the love that has been showered upon us by our communities. Our campaign centres around the people we serve, and we are saying thank you to them in different ways, by lighting up our buildings across our four main sites in blue light from 8pm on Sunday, to permanent floral displays dug into our grounds to remember all those who have been affected by the pandemic.

If you would like to get involved on our anniversary please put a lamp in your window from 8 – 11pm on Sunday 5 July, if you can. If you do, please send us a photo so we can post it on our social media channels. You can send your photo by email to swbh.comms@nhs.net post on social media using the hashtag #SWBshinealight or tweet us @SWBHnhs.