Unsung heroes

Here's me (top) and
Mandy Leah (bottom)

It’s sometimes easy to miss the invisible engines that help keep the wheels turning in organisations
or communities.

Some unsung heroes fly beneath the radar.

After last week’s blog, I was chatting to Karen, my PA, and she said that she and some of her colleagues felt guilty about using the protected
NHS-hour slot at the supermarket to buy provisions. Basically, because they were not frontline staff they felt that they didn’t merit any special treatment.

While clinical staff are so utterly deserving of the continuous praise for their exceptional work in tackling this pandemic, there are many others working behind the scenes in crucial roles whose efforts are sometimes overlooked. Without them,
so much would grind to a halt.

I know that at the moment, more than ever before, the working lives of our frontline and ‘office-based’ staff could not feel more different. We totally appreciate the courage needed in our clinical staff
to keep coming in day after day to deal with patients impacted by covid-19, worrying about the risk this raises for them personally and for their families. And, I know the frustrations of changing clinical guidance and being able to get the right personal protective equipment compound these anxieties.

But it’s a team effort in the widest sense.

A successful team is a group of many different hands but of one mind and purpose.

So, I know our clinical support teams are working tirelessly to support clinical services - our procurement team sourcing supplies and equipment, our IT team ensuring we have the right technology, our HR team recruiting and deploying staff to areas critically impacted by the virus, our admin teams keeping many plates spinning to ensure things are well planned and organised, and our communications team keeping us updated and informed and raising our spirits. That’s why these teams and many others are working over this bank holiday. They need and want to support the frontline.

I’m just so impressed with how everyone has responded to this crisis. You have adapted to news ways of working with such flexibility, positivity and resilience - and at such pace!

Many of you are now working in different locations, for example, our liaison teams who have rapidly moved out of A&Es; or in different roles, such as those now manning our new helpline for patients and carers, which was set up in less than a week.

We’ve got so many teams going above and beyond. It’s a cliché I know, but it’s so true. Take our domestics, for example.

Cleanliness and strict hygiene are always of paramount importance to prevent the risk of infection – but during this coronavirus pandemic, it’s even more essential. No floor can be cleaned remotely and our domestics have taken on an ever more important role in a war against an invisible killer.

I therefore asked Mandy Leah, one of our domestics, to contribute to this week’s blog.

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“Wow things have changed in the last few weeks, but I’ve been really impressed by how hard everybody has worked to make things feel like normal. And I think that kind of effort from top to bottom is what makes me love working at Pennine Care.

Lots of places look down on people like us, but we are treated as equals here whether it’s a normal day or a day in crisis, and we appreciate it.

At the moment I’m covering more shifts, working extra hours and working at other clinics because of the stretched staffing. Work is tougher, but I’ve just got on with it. I don’t mind, as we all have to stick together at times like these.

Every key worker is a star, and as I go about my day I see people working together to do the best they can, no matter what level their job is. You could be an exec director or a delivery driver, I see everybody pulling together.

I’ve worked for Pennine Care for nine years and I’m proud of my work and I’m proud to work with people like my manager Winnie. She is an inspiration, a star and she has taught me everything I know.

With the current situation, it makes me feel like this is the best place I have ever worked. Everybody will be feeling stress and anxiety, but I see people everywhere going above and beyond, getting their heads down and giving everything to help others.

The atmosphere is absolutely one of support. There is constant communication from all levels and everybody is open to helping each other, I feel like we’re all looked after. My team are a godsend and I think it’s been the same everywhere.

Many lives have changed and will never be the same. That’s why all key workers are worth more than their weight in gold.” – Mandy Leah
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No-one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play and it’s brilliant to see everyone working together and playing their part in our response.  

Thank you all again. Although it might feel tough and strange at the moment, this will end at some point and we will recover. Happy Easter. Stay safe.

Best wishes,
Claire

You can follow me on Twitter @ClaireMolloy2