The HPWA: June 2018

Wednesday 6 June 2018

NHS Seventieth Anniversary

At times I have the bad habit of letting my heart overwhelm my head. I am well aware that the UK's National Health Service will be seventy years old on the fifth of July and, indeed, I remember the sixtieth ten years ago. I attended a special event at Oxford Town Hall where I received a medal from the Lord Mayor, Susanna Pressel (She was my teacher at school and she totally failed to recognize me. I didn't feel inclined to remind her). The seventieth anniversary is going to be a far more glitzy showbiz event than the sixty-year mark and I don't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed that I will not be taking part. Prince William has given a very passionate speech about the NHS and its servicemen, see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44102318. A number of servicemen will be singled out for special recognition, but the prince made sure to point out the "inspirational skill, care and dedication" of everybody in the NHS. The tinseltown nature of the upcoming gala is going to need a separate review, but ITV and the Daily Mirror are hosting the celebrations. I must not allow myself to be star-struck into irrationality. Probably the pageant will be intended to have that very effect on the viewer. Will we be given even a hint of the truth? This seventieth birthday of the NHS will actually be a deathbed gathering, or maybe even a wake. See here for more details: http://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2014/07/allyson-pollock-at-tedx.html.

What is the HPWA

The Hospital Porters’ Welfare Association is a new charity and support community established to provide care and support for the approximately 9000 serving Hospital Porters in the UK and the even greater number of retired and former Hospital Porters. Today thousands of Hospital Porters and ex-Hospital Porters live under the pressure of the trauma sometimes involved in their duties; and also poverty, isolation, indignity and social structural violence leading to suffering, a poor quality of life and increasing mental and physical health problems stemming from their sacrifice to the Hospital Portering Service, the National Health Service and private health practices; and the patients whom they play such a vital part in caring for. Our mission is to build a better present and future for Hospital Porters across Britain and eventually throughout the world by giving financial support, counseling and comradeship. In doing so we hope to also raise the public profile of Hospital Portering and increase awareness of this noble profession.