Page 35 - QARANC Vol 18 No 2 2020

The Gazette QARANC Association 33
I was initially working as part of Deirdre’s Operations team setting up the facility. The set-up period was intense, working long hours and Excel being 1.3 km end to end, walking an average of 12 km a day, but thankfully not usually in steel toe capped wellies, which were six sizes too big and very difficult to walk in, when they are above your knee and your foot is only half way towards the toe cap!
Once the set up was complete I took on the role as Lead for the Family Support and Liaison Team. The team were made up of FANY
Covid-19 Staff Welfare at NHS Nightingale London
During the first week of lockdown, I received a call from two of my old army buddies (wonder of modern technology), Deidre Barr and Jane Davis. We had served together for many years, initially in 217 (London) General Hospital and later with 256 (City of London) Field Hospital, and we are all members of the Millbank branch of the QA association. Deidre had been appointed Director of Operations at the Nightingale hospital in Docklands, Jane was working with her, and they told me they would like me to join them. I of course jumped at the chance.
My role was staff welfare and I worked with a team of volunteers who were all aircrew from Easy Jet and Virgin Atlantic. Our primary role was to meet and greet all staff who entered Nightingale but especially the clinical staff who might be coming for their first shift feeling very anxious and not knowing where to go. The skills of the volunteers with their expertise in customer service was invaluable and they were there for every shift change supporting staff and putting them at ease.
Our other role was to man the chill- out areas where clinical staff came for their breaks, Initially we set up six areas but thankfully only needed one. This area had food, hot and cold drinks and many, many donated chocolate bunnies. We were there to support staff
and specialist transplant nurses who were responsible for the provision of compassionate care by maintaining telephone contact with the relatives of those patients transferred to NHS Nightingale. They had to make the most diffcult calls to families, facilitating visits for end of life and mangaing the bearevemnet processes. We gave a handmade heart to each patient and sent two to the relatives as a token of love and support for each other and facilitated E Mail messages and pictures to place by the bedside.
I was fortunate to be in a supporting
role and not working in full PPE for 12 hour shifts, they are the real heroes of not only NHS Nightingale London but of the NHS and the wider care environments across the UK.
The seven weeks flew by, it was certainly an experience to add to so many I have had in all sorts of places around the world, but never thought I would experience in the UK.
Jane Davis Former Colonel Commandant
and recognise if they needed to just chat or even referral to the psychiatric team. If staff were distressed, the team was really good at giving their time and just listening, this and the chocolate bunnies had a very positive effect on the staff.
The other thing I did, was manage the huge number of very generous donations for staff from various companies, too numerous to mention. Initially the most popular items were hand cream and lip salve due to the dry conditions when wearing PPE and the frequent hand washing, but closely followed by toiletries, Easter eggs, food from local restaurants, clothing, the list goes on. But without a doubt the most popular donations by far were the Hunter Wellies, I am pretty sure that in the future if I see people in London wearing Hunter Wellies, there is a good chance that they worked at the Nightingale Hospital. Although not involved with direct patient care
I believe our team played a vital part in supporting the staff and helping to maintain morale.
Working at NHS Nightingale London is likely to be my last job before retirement, and I am so proud to have worked for over 40 years in the NHS and even more proud to have finished my career at one of the Nightingale hospitals set up in the UK, working with a huge number of people from all over the world who came together when required to support the NHS.
Major (Retd) Di Robertson-Bell