Your stories…

I worked through the whole pandemic and in the first few weeks of the first lockdown, I lost my grandma to COVID. She had been in a nursing home for respite since Mother's Day and I hadn't been able to see her. Without the support of my colleagues at work, I don't know how I would have coped. Going to work every day should have been stressful enough but I was also grieving. I think that the fact everyday life was far from normal somehow helped. It's now nearly two years since I lost her and I…

Working through the pandemic, supporting the inpatient and community teams with staffing whilst working from home with a toddler, was rewarding and something I am proud of myself and our team for.

I started the pandemic employed in a GP Practice and witnessed first hand the changes in working practice and was amazed how quickly staff adapted to new methods of working. I spent over a year running a COVID Vaccination Centre and have been truly humbled watching in awe the amazing team of people putting themselves forward and working often 6 and 7 days a week to help deliver the vaccination to as many people as possible in our region. The last two years have been the hardest ever for the NHS…

I have registered to plant a tree as part of the honorary NHS Woodland Lincolnshire programme to honour Lincolnshire’s NHS staff. I did this because I wanted my tree to be planted, to grow and to stand together with other trees planted by other NHS staff. This was important for me because the abiding memory of the COVID-19 response was the power of collective effort, of what people achieved when they came together for a common purpose. I want my sapling to grow with others that will, together,…

My mother died just before Christmas 2019 from cancer, which was even more devastating at Christmas. My family and brothers pulled together to get through early January, having to empty and sell the property and arrange a funeral. Then in March, COVID hit and everything was on hold; my bereavement, family time and helping to go through personal effects which belonged to my parents. During lockdown, I had a long period of time to reflect on my life. Thinking about friends and family who…

I worked firstly in commissioning care at the outbreak of the pandemic, moving on to more clinical work towards the end. Supporting people accessing care during the social care crisis was extremely hard, and making sure people's mental health was not affected during this crisis was challenging

An experience that continues, with pros and cons. So many deaths, sadly, but also so much love and caring demonstrated, together with guts, determination, and inner strength. The isolation really got to me, as it did many, but always folks worse off than yourself. The change at speed with the NHS, the innovation, adaptation and technology advances prove that change is for the good, and change can happen quicker if everyone coproduces that change. Community spirit was felt, I actually got to…

I was able to work fully through COVID and support my colleagues on the wards. The times were hard for the patients, and frustration and fear of this was often shared with us when they called to solve the problems that COVID had imposed on them, especially as they were ongoing treatment etc. Thanks for clapping for us to thank us. Just remember we are still working in the NHS for the people.

I was involved in the planning from an early date as soon as COVID-19 started to appear in the press. I worked in COVID Gold, covering 7 days a week alongside my colleagues. The staff in our hospitals never ceased to amaze me with their dedication to the affected COVID and non-COVID patients, and their unwavering ability to just get on doing what they had to do. The public played a massive part in their support of the NHS and constantly sent us gifts ranging from Fish and Chips chocolate eggs…

I was working in a London NHS hospital when the first lockdown occurred. I remember how eerie it was to walk home from work through empty streets, no people, buses, cars. I remember the fear we had as we try to comprehend what this disease was and the devastating effects it had on our patients and their families. Being unable to see my own family in Ireland for over 18 months. The development of the vaccines was eventually a chink of light in a dark tunnel and I cried when I got word of my…

In the first wave, we were all advised that we may have to be redeployed & that we had to change our working pattern from Monday to Friday to a 7-day week & that we may need to provide support to other areas for Urology issues. This was a very distressing time for all staff involved, but I am very proud of the team I work with as no one complained and everyone was willing to support our colleagues in other departments, staff gave up their free time to be available to help cover the hours now…

Working for the NHS throughout the pandemic has been really hard but also rewarding at the same time. Being a Support Manager, I have never had to be hands-on with patients - that was until our Trust needed additional support with HCSW, during the pandemic. I went through training and became an HCSW via the bank so that I can do my bit throughout these tough times. Being a member of the NHS throughout a pandemic has allowed me to recognise the importance of helping those in need in any way I…

After having severe COVID myself at the start of March 2020, leaving me with major side effects, I spent my time working in the ULHT Staff Bank, trying to help keep the hospital staffed and able to run, using Bank & Agency staff, alongside our substantive staff. We can never thank the Bank & Agency staff enough, as without them, the hospital would have closed. We, in the Staff Bank Unit, came into work, day after day, until January 2021, when we were told that we could work from home too, like…

When the news of the pandemic broke, my partner and I were on our annual skiing holiday in Bulgaria. Suddenly, in the village where we were staying, we were aware of a big police presence. They started closing restaurants, ski hire businesses, bars, cafés and local shops, telling holidaymakers to return to their hotels for information on what the restrictions meant and what to do next. It was a frightening experience and one usually portrayed by moviemakers. Luckily, we were due to depart…

I, along with many specialist service colleagues, spent the first wave redeployed to Archer Ward in Louth. The team there were so welcoming and supported our transition to working in an area of practice we were not experienced in. I have also worked closely with our CCG colleagues as a clinical lead, tasked with supporting the setting up and ongoing management of the mass vaccination programme at Lincolnshire Showground. I will always remember how so many staff from very different…

Working in safeguarding often means we are faced with the worst aspects of health and social care; the abuse and neglect that we discuss and help individuals navigate out of can be hard for us as a team, hence peer support and shared learning and reflections on issues are key. Being in the pandemic meant we couldn’t see each other regularly as a team, and couldn’t see friends or family, so my personal resilience was really tested and as I tried to support colleagues I was also out of my comfort…

I've worked across a few roles since the pandemic began, both with LCHS and ULHT. My lasting memory will be of how, even against the fear and uncertainty, everyone pulled together and made some incredible things happen, both at work and within our communities as a whole.

Being redeployed to Boston to work in the acute hospital - feeling very nervous and scared not knowing what was ahead. However, I was made welcome by the team, learnt new skills, and felt like the whole of the NHS really pulled together in such uncertain times

I volunteered to be redeployed - I wanted to make a difference during the pandemic. I went to work with the community nursing team who made me so welcome. It was daunting at first, but I soon settled into the new routines. I learned so much while I was working with them, and these new skills have enhanced my practice when I returned to Podiatry. My lasting memories are how amazing these community staff are that they pull together and support each other. How proud I was to be part of this team…

Being part of our local village COVID-19 support group - helping people with collecting prescriptions and shopping, whilst they were in isolation and dealing with the symptoms of COVID, made the community spirit stronger and more resilient. I loved being able to help and give support to others whilst in need of help.