For the last two Thursday evenings at 8pm the nation has come out to acknowledge the work of those who are key workers and in particular the NHS.
I have many reasons to be grateful to the NHS. I was born in a NHS hospital in Dover, my own children were born at Freedom Fields NHS hospital in Plymouth. I’ve had my lumpy thyroid removed and shoulder rebuilt care of the NHS. NHS screening detected breast cancer, NHS consultants and nurses removed the cancer and rebuilt me. The NHS sorted Nick’s hernia and gave my mum a new hip, the NHS looked after my dad until he couldn’t be looked after any more. My sister in law works as a nurse for the NHS in North Yorkshire, she has been redeployed from endoscopy to critical care. Our friend Salvo, his son Joe and Joe’s fiancee Jess are all on the front line as Senior and Junior doctors at local NHS hospitals. Miles’ great friend and Best Man to be, George is also a Junior doctor. My Godmother, Yvonne worked for many years as a Theatre Sister for the NHS in Cheltenham.
It strikes me that we are all in this together. Never in my life time has it appeared so palpable that we are working together – we can all do our part, from the cleaner, to the shopkeeper, to the teacher, to the utilities worker to the surgeon we are all in it together.
One of my colleagues, Emma has shared this poem which I will send out as part of a Good Morning email next week. Michael Rosen is recovering from Coronavirus.
The Impatient Geography Patient 