As a relative newcomer to the NHS, I am struck by how much the service relies on the extra discretionary effort of our staff. This is the single most consistent theme of the visits I make to our members. Chris Hopson, chief executive, NHS Providers

Cumbria floods prove, once more, that the NHS is its staff

We read so many negative stories about the NHS. Yet the service is full of everyday stories of commitment, dedication and professionalism as 1.3 million staff do extraordinary things to care for over a million patients every 36 hours.

In more extreme conditions, like those experienced by NHS staff in Cumbria as a result of Storm Desmond earlier this month, that commitment, dedication and professionalism often turns into tales of bravery, heroism and selflessness that we should celebrate.

Talking to three trusts in the region - Cumbria Partnership, North Cumbria University Hospital, and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay - you get a clear sense of how dependent the NHS is on the extraordinary efforts of our staff.

Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, for example, said: “The team in South Lakes and Furness have been out visiting local children and families who have been affected by the floods in Kendal. They have been giving expert public health advice relating to the impacts of the flooding and offering their support to the community. The team are working with children’s centre providers to give children who lost their homes a safe, family friendly, place to go during the day. They are also giving safety advice to families still living in flooded properties and other local B&B’s and hotels.

“This fantastic team has gone over and beyond their daily roles and have been adapting their services to meet the needs of the public as well as publicising key health messages and liaising with other agencies such as the County Council, the Red Cross and voluntary groups. One of the Trust’s student community nurses grabbed her work file and her staff uniform above any other personal belongings before leaving her flooded home. And an incredibly selfless member of the mental health team canoed to work after her house was flooded”.

Patients have, of course, been hugely appreciative as stories from two patients treated by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust attest. “I would just like to compliment all the staff that were on Aspen ward, Cumberland Infirmary yesterday. They battled on with minimal electric and resources and didn't once complain. They went without food but did their best to ensure patients were fed as best they could be under the circumstances. Everyone I saw had a smile on their face and I honestly could not praise them all enough. They are all angels in my eyes!” was one story.

The second was: “Due to my heart problems and experiencing chest pain after being rescued from my flooded home in Carlisle on Sunday 6 December 2015, I was taken to Cumberland Infirmary to be checked out, warmed up and monitored overnight. From the paramedics, police, fire and rescue and army staff to the ambulance service and then A&E staff I was treated with a great deal of care and compassion.”

We often focus on the work of frontline clinical staff but can forget the crucial role that support staff play. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay gave a special mention to some of these staff, and the importance of their work in ensuring the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) continued to provide outstanding patient care during the floods. 

“All the staff at RLI came on site over the weekend, whether they were on call or not, to offer their help and assistance. Staff members slept on floors or in offices to support the hospital, took patients and staff home in their cars and collected staff to come into work”.

“The catering team worked exceptionally hard out of hours during the Saturday night and the Sunday morning to provide extra catering supplies. On Sunday, they provided food for patients, staff and members of the public. In addition, they prepared bacon sandwiches at 6.00am on Monday morning for those working in the major incident room.  The assistant catering manager came in at 2.00am to make sure the restaurant was open and prepared ‘take home’ bags for patients and cooked for the Army and Mountain Rescue team.   The catering team even went ahead with the staff Christmas lunches early in the week, after everything that had happened. For some staff this was their first hot meal since the floods hit”.

“The Estates team ensured we had power generators, called engineers in throughout the night, manned the emergency phones, ensured access to all parts of the building and were a key part of the first response teams.”

As a relative newcomer to the NHS, I am struck by how much the service relies on the extra discretionary effort of our staff. This is the single most consistent theme of the visits I make to our members. There is also a growing nervousness amongst senior leaders that we are in danger of overloading our front line staff; taking that extra discretionary effort for granted; and of creating an increasingly less attractive working environment.

One way of countering that danger is to consistently acknowledge, celebrate and recognise the extraordinary achievements of our staff, particularly when they are delivered in the extreme conditions that staff in Cumbria faced this month.