Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment received a thank you from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust, after joining forces with the Trust to help support frontline workers and keep hospital services running.
The British Army say that the troops have been deployed across hospital sites, taking on tasks around the hospitals.
“Many of the hospital staff have been vaccinated and those who were off due to COVID-19, are now returning to the workforce but having the soldiers join them has been a welcome addition. The Trust has thanked them for their efforts, as they have made a huge difference to their work capacities. They have helped with distributing goods to wards, portering, liaising with the public, helping to build vaccination hubs and many other tasks.”
Private Armando Morris was quoted as saying:
“The NHS staff have been exceptional in the way they have welcomed and mentored our support and it has been a privilege to work alongside them. We are proud to be working for and supporting our community with like-minded people in the NHS. Despite being from two organisations, over the past four weeks we have become a close team who are in this together.”
Cathy Hill, Deputy Director of Nursing at West Middlesex Hospital, who was responsible for keeping them busy at the hospitals, said:
“Our Army colleagues have been superb in supporting our hospitals’ patients and staff during the past four weeks. They have worked seven days a week assisting on the wards, helping distribute deliveries and liaising with families and friends of patients. All this with a great ‘can-do’ attitude and ever welcoming smiles! It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside the Army and a huge thank you from everyone at the hospital.”
Not many members of the public seem to be aware that the armed forces did most of the planning of and setting up of the Nightingale wards.
Also, regarding the whole MoD support to the NHS – I wonder how easy it will be to do this sort of MACM task in the future if army numbers are chopped by 10,000 in the IR.
The government need to smell the coffee Graham .
Will these Armed services get the same 1% on top of there past 12% Understand it seems a kick in the teeth. but none of the Nurses i know went into nursing to become millionaires, unlike all these Union reps that are now demanding STRIKE ACTION. clearly, don’t know the room the shouting @ will lose the Public support very quickly as many other people lost the jobs and couldn’t work. And if the public loses respect for the NHS, will they Protect it or like the Armed forces being paid for a job. not sure how i feel 1%… Read more »
1% is better than any other public sector got? Most got 2% or above, though?
I would expect 0% pay rises across the public sector for some considerable time. The private sector will in many places be enduring pay cuts or unemployment. It is going to get very difficult out there.
The news also doesn’t mention that most NHS staff get two pay rises a year. The government cost of living pay rise, and moving up an incremental level in the pay bands.
Most NHS staff are worse of now than they were 10 years ago as pay increases haven’t matched inflation. I’d love to know more about my two pay rises per year, though.
Hi George. My wife works for the NHS, she got her government payrise, and went up another increment level. Unless you are at the top level of your banding. Worked same for me when I was in the RN. Armed Forces aren’t getting any gov payrise this year.
Dreadful that HMG can’t thank our NHS frontline workers with a decent pay rise.
The cupboard is bare Frank. Tax receipts significantly down. It was probably a bad move to offer anything – better to promise something once things return to normal.
Funny that the armed forces always take a back seat when it comes to positive PR. The 3 services are about to be shafted, then what will happen when this country faces the next national emergency! Deploy swarm drones?