“The work we do really does change people’s lives – every single day”
BY SOPHIE PERRY. IMAGE BY ANDREA PIACQUADIO
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect lives globally, essential workers and NHS staff are bravely out on the frontlines keeping the UK on its feet. Here at DIVA, we are very proud to support the incredible work of the NHS during this unprecedented time.
And, in doing so, we want to showcase just some of the many amazing LGBTQI+ individuals that are out there every day, protecting our loved ones and who are proud to work for the NHS. We reached out to the wider LGBTQI+ community through the new DIVA Community group on Facebook and had a fantastic response from LGBTQI+ identifying NHS workers from all over the UK, and in all different sectors of the NHS.
As the nation comes together to show their support for all NHS workers, we send out a special thank you to the LGBTQI+ community, showing support for #OurLGBTQINHS.
Julie Cole
“I’m proud to work for the NHS because every day I know I can make a difference in someone’s life, no matter how small. It is wonderful to be safe in the knowledge that this care, that I am so fortunate to be able to provide, is free thanks to our NHS. Everyone is treated equally and to the same high standards, no matter where you live or who you are“
Sarah and Gayle Wilde
“We are members of Trossachs Search & Rescue. We provide first responder cover for the Scottish Ambulance Service attending category A calls (cardiac arrests, respiratory arrest, heart attack, etc.) During the Coronavirus pandemic all community first responders in Scotland have been stood down by the ambulance service as they can’t afford to give us the required PPE so instead the team have been delivering prescriptions and shopping to self-isolating residents and attending TEC (Technology Enabled Service) calls, a community alarm service – where a team of emergency responders reacts to people activating their alarm to request help, i.e. in the event of a fall at their own home. It might be stressful, exhausting and, at times, bloody hard work but we are proud to work for the NHS. I’m proud of the NHS and the amazing people who work for it. There is no service like it anywhere else in the world“
Libby Baxter-Williams
“I love working for the NHS, even in tough times like this. Admin staff like me are being redeployed to make sure our clinical colleagues can provide the best possible care and I’ve never been prouder of how we’re all pulling together. The NHS saved my life when I was 17, and working for them is the very least I can do to pay the debt I owe. This virus is going to do it’s very best to take us down. We can’t let it.“
Keri Smith
“I am proud to work for the NHS to help provide free care to the most vulnerable of people. I’m proud I can do my small part in the community, helping to ease peoples concerns or just by offering them a new face to see. I absolutely love my job and I am super proud to be part of this amazing team here in Bedford who continue to work tirelessly around the clock to offer the best of care“
Clare McGartalnd
“I go in and out of homeless charities and help those with substance issues, mental health and physical health… We wear many different capes“
Layla McCay
“I am a director at NHS Confederation, the organisation that represents the voice of the whole NHS. We work on all sorts of matters that affect the NHS – from funding to Brexit. But this role feels particularly important during the current Covid-19 response. The NHS is currently experiencing the biggest challenge in its 72-year history. Since the pandemic started, I have been co-chairing the NHS Confederation’s task force to support the NHS response. My job is to listen and bring together the experiences, insights and needs of NHS leaders, and use these to help the NHS get the support needed to get through this incredibly challenging period. With so many new structures and processes being put in place, I help make sure policymakers and planners know what NHS staff are experiencing, whether they are in an intensive care unit, mental health ward or GP clinic, whether they are commissioning or delivering healthcare services. By doing this, we can help solve challenges and ensure the NHS can work as well as possible. I went to medical school in Glasgow, and worked in the NHS as a doctor in Glasgow and London. I feel passionate about the NHS and am privileged to now be working to support its leaders“
Heather O’Neill
“I work as a healthcare worker in a medium secure mental health hospital. I am proud to work for the NHS because I get the opportunity to support our patients with their mental health and recovery every day, preparing them for discharge. I am proud to work with an amazing team of health care assistants and mental health nurses who are all dedicated to providing the best care in the world. The work we do really does change people’s lives every single day“
Like many businesses, DIVA has been hit hard by the economic impact of coronavirus and we need your help to keep the presses rolling throughout the pandemic. Visit our PayPal fundraising page and give what you can. Your support means the world.
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