Troops deployed across hospitals to boost morale and support staff
By Toby Porter
The army have joined forces with medics at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, to help support frontline staff.
Soldiers have been deployed across hospitals, boosting morale amongst staff and taking on additional tasks around the wards.
Most staff have been vaccinated and those who were off due to COVID-19 are now returning to the workforce – but managment have welcomed the helping hand.
A statement issued by the C&W NHS Hospital trust said: “On behalf of the Trust we would like to thank them for their efforts, as they have made a huge difference to work capacities.
“They helped with distributing goods to wards, portering, liaising with the public, helping build our vaccination hubs and many other tasks.”
Private Armando Morris said: “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 managed their deployment, said: “Our Army colleagues have been superb in supporting our hospital’s patients and staff during the past four weeks.
“They have worked seven days a week all over the hospital: assisting on the wards, helping distribute deliveries, and liaising with families/friends of patients.
“All this with a great ‘can-do’ attitude and an ever welcoming smile! To sum up, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside the Army and a huge ‘thank you’ from everyone at the hospital.”
Army Lieutenant Luke Talkington said: “It has been an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience to work with the NHS.
“A different task to what we are used to, but I am proud in the way in which my soldiers have adapted and performed to support the NHS.
“We have been welcomed by an incredibly friendly group of nurses and volunteers, who like us, take great pride in serving their community”.