UNISON want to hear about your public service champion - £300 to be won! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at UNISON is putting the call out for your very own champions of public services in the UK – who do you want to show your appreciation to?

They say "Our public services are in crisis. Comment, tweet, campaign, vote, say thanks – but whatever you do, back your public service champions now.

“We can all relate to being under pressure and having to put a brave face on. For public service workers this has become part of daily working life, but now the crisis in our public services is so bad many of them are at breaking point. They are telling us about their struggle to support the schools, health and social care services, libraries, youth services and policing that our families and communities all depend on.

“Every day thousands of people turn to mumsnet for support, so what better place to get behind our public service champions and show them some love? This is your chance to share stories of how a public service champion has made a difference to you. Thank the teaching assistant for giving your DC the confidence to put their hand up in class. Shake hands with the police community support officer who keeps your neighbourhood safe. Show the care worker who helps your nan get up in the morning some appreciation. It doesn’t matter what you do to support them, it just matters that you back your public service champions now.”

So to get involved, you can do two things. One, post on this thread some info about the public service champion you want to thank – you don't have to give their name but just let us know briefly what they do and what this means to you. Or, two, you can get involved at: champions.unison.org.uk/.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get two £150 Love2Shop vouchers (which the winner can either keep or split with their nominee!)

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

Mumsnet Insight T and Cs apply

The NHS - they're constantly under pressure with lack of staff but they do the best job they can

My practice nurse, who is a fantastic and companionate hard working angel 😇 She has looked after me and so many of the patients at my gp practice for many years. She is vastly experienced and knowledgeable.
Absolutely amazing woman.

The NHS staff.... all of them, they all, whatever their role big and small keep it going. I have had a family member in hospital this month and the care has been brilliant.

GPs who go over & above - colleague was telling me of his experience when supporting a client to local GP this morning. The client is a vulnerable older man, with multiple & complex needs - notoriously difficult to engage. Has been to see GP numerous times - but come away without having accessed any tangible support due to his difficulties in communicating his needs appropriately. GP this morning saw through all of it - obviously identified this gentleman had additional needs - took some extra time to talk to him, to reassure him & actually investigate the problem he was presenting with.
Brilliant!!
I know GPs are massively under pressure & most do an excellent job, but time limits prevent them from giving that extra bit of attention - but it was very much appreciated in this instance.

My local NHS community hospital is fantastic

My friend, who ran centres for young people in Lancaster and Morecambe for many years. They have shut down the services and made her and her colleagues redundant. There have been many tears, not for themselves - for the young people who have nowhere to turn now.

The NHS as a whole do an amazing job with so little but in particular my recent experience of having twins has led me to two amazing midwives at my hospital. They went above and beyond for me and my babies

I would nominate my CPN, she goes above and beyond.

I have lots of family and friends who work in the NHS as HCP. They work long hours and often put in overtime for free. They are superstars and some of them have been in role for 25+ years. They should be able to retire, as policemen do, with certain number of years' service. The NHS doesn't appreciate them and they are compromised by 'management' constraints. They are heroes/heroines each and every one.

The wonderful, experienced, slightly scary social worker who got me through the adoption process and brought me and my daughter together

I have a friend who is from Germany and has worked in her local authority for more than 20 years but like many of our public sector workers, her future in the UK is looking uncertain due to Brexit. I would like to nominate her, and speak up for the thousands like her, who have contributed so much of their time, experience and skills for our country.

As an ex-home carer, I salute all those that work to look after people in their own homes. The hours are dire, as is the pay but without these people lots of vulnerable people would be unable to remain at home.

It has to be Kathy for me who is an early education teacher. She comes to the house to teach and develop my daughters skills. She is absolutely amazing with her and has helped her so much in less than a year already.

Well, me, I'm great, and am always nice to my patients

But seriously, the huge medical and midwifery team who supported me through my high risk pregnancies and deliveries, particularly the diabetes consultant and midwife who took the trouble to chase up some slightly concerning findings which were actually the early sign of placental failure. Thanks to them DD2 was delivered early but happy and healthy.

As an NHS nurse I feel very passionately about the care we provide to our vulnerable patients and how their experiences in hospital will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives. I struggle with my salary and the rising costs of living , along with the constant staffing shortages and lack of resources we have. With all this in mind I would like to thank the healthcare support workers. These staff are the glue to holding our NHS together, receive a poor hourly rate for the hard work they do and provide me, as a nurse, with invaluable information about my patients. They are not appreciated enough in my opinion and often get treated badly by more senior members of staff. Without these dedicated staff members we would fall apart in the hospital. Thankyou to all of you and keep up the good work!

I think I also would nominate the staff of the NHS. My daughter is a junior doctor and works very long hours - 80 rota'd last week and of course she never leaves on time - with great responsibility. She isn't exceptional in this so they all deserve the award.

I'd have to say the breastfeeding specialist midwife and health visitors who run the breastfeeding group at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon. They helped me so much when i needed it, and I know they continue to provide a positive, safe, friendly and helpful environment for new mothers who may not otherwise get the help they need in the busy post-natal wards.

I don't have anyone to nominate from recent years. I have an ongoing health condition and have a fair number of appointments etc. As a patient I mostly feel a nuisance and an anonymous number. I did have a amazing midwife with dc1 but that was a long time ago!

I think having awards like this is great though because hopefully it will encourage more hcp to work towards the kindness and deducation shown by the very best. I wish some of those nominated here worked in the services I use!

You are not anonymous now. You must speak out about the treatment you have received and continue to receive. The patient is of paramount importance.So speak out and loudly. There are people here who care about you.

Thank you great - it was very nice of you to take the time to respond. I have spoken to pals in the past about two instances of actual bad treatment, but it's people's indifference that gets a bit wearing.

Definitely NHS staff. I was waiting for a procedure and nil by mouth. It was delayed and I was hungry. I have reason to suspect the doctors worked through their break to see us all. I was humbled and grateful.

The nurses and doctors who looked after my baby when she was born prematurely. They are so busy buy always had time to comfort and explain and make me feel certain that she was being looked after absolutely the best way she could. We owe them everything

Another vote here for the NHS - many of them they work tirelessly for a low wage.

There was a burns nurse specialist in Bristol Childrens' Hospital who I often think of and can not praise enough. My son pulled a cup of coffee onto himself when he was about 6 months old - we were in hospital for around a week in total as he developed Toxic Shock Syndrome and was very poorly. The whole team were amazing, things were done before you could even think of them and nothing seemed too much trouble. But the nurse specialist really stood out - she stayed late to make sure he was stable and had the correct treatment and was so patient and caring with all of us. I am a nurse, I know what good practice looks like - and she was a shining example of good nursing care.

Another vote for doctors and nurses. Throughout having both my babies, apart from a couple of rude individuals, they all did an amazing job despite being under obvious staffing pressure.