Published on: 15 April 2020
Retired staff answer the call to help local NHS in South Tyneside and Sunderland to save lives in coronavirus pandemic
Health workers are rallying in response to South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust’s call for support to deal with the coronavirus emergency.
Dozens of nurses and allied health professionals who retired from the Trust in the last three years have already come forward and are back at work or are in the process of returning.
The Trust has also been working closely with NHS Professionals, which supports the Trust to deliver a flexible workforce via a staff ‘bank’. Others have come forward through the ‘NHS - Bring Back Staff’ campaign. As a result, about 80 registered nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, allied health professionals and medical and dental staff have registered for shifts.
In addition, about 40 third year nursing students from Northumbria University began work with the Trust this week and University of Sunderland third year nursing students are expected to provide further support for the team at the end of this month. More than 30 fifth year Newcastle University medical students also started work at the Trust this week.
Melanie Johnson, Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, thanked everyone who has so far answered the call to support the Trust ‘from the bottom of her heart’.
She said: “I have never been more proud of our NHS staff – past and present. Our current staff are all doing an amazing job working flexibly to provide essential patient care in these exceptionally challenging times and we are very pleased to welcome final year nursing and medical students to help us. We do not know how long this unprecedented situation is going to last so all additional offers of assistance from former staff are very much appreciated. We are, of course, providing refresher and new training, and equipment, where necessary.”
Former Trust nursing staff considering returning to help South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust to save lives in the fight against coronavirus should contact lesley.johnson@chsft.nhs.uk to confirm experience, availability and any limitations to practice.
Nurses/midwives are already able to re-register via the NMC website for those returning to practice. https://www.nmc.org.uk/news/coronavirus/temporary-registration/
Allied health professionals can find information at https://www.hcpc-uk.org/covid-19/covid-19-our-approach-to-temporary-registration/
To find out from NHS Professionals how you can support the NHS in the fight against COVID-19 go to https://www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/
