How have you shown your appreciation for the NHS this year? Share your artwork or stories with Uber - £200 voucher to be won

[CeriMumsnet]

This year, NHS workers have been working harder than ever in order to keep us safe and well. Doctors, nurses and support staff have isolated themselves from their loved ones and put their own health on the line to go above and beyond in the fight against Covid-19. Uber is celebrating their hard work by offering free rides and eats to NHS workers from 23rd - 27th December, and would love for you to join them in that celebration by sharing the artwork that you and your family have created this year in appreciation and support for the NHS.

Here’s what Uber has to say: "This year has been hard for a lot of people. But especially for those working for the NHS & HSC. As a small gesture of thanks from all of us, Uber is committing two free rides and a free meal to these workers this Christmas.

We loved seeing how many people displayed their messages of thanks to health service workers through drawings and artworks this year. We’d like to encourage everyone to show how grateful we all are by sharing these here and creating more of these wonderful messages of support.

And if you’d like us to share these drawings or messages directly with NHS workers this Christmas, just post it to Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #GratefulUK. We’ll find it, and do the rest."

So, did you paint a rainbow in the window at the start of lockdown? Perhaps your children were set an NHS themed arts and crafts homeschooling project? Or will the NHS be featured in your DCs festive drawings or your Christmas cards this year?

If art isn’t your thing, we’d love to hear how you’ve shown your appreciation for the NHS in a different way. Maybe you were eagerly lined up to Clap for Carers every Thursday evening or perhaps you volunteered in your local area? Have you encouraged your children to think about the work that the NHS does?

All who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

We decorated our window with a massive rainbow, we clapped on the doorstep and donated to fundraising events in our area.

I send a lovely thank you card to the 3 midwives who delivered my baby boy - honestly they are uber amazing and the NHS do not get enough credit. We are so fortunate to have them, we really are!

As nurses my husband and I have done countless hours of overtime. I wrote a letter to each of my team to let them know why I enjoy working with them and to thank them for a particular time, asset they being to the team.

I'm quite sure that ICU doctors and staff are working incredibly hard and are under a lot of stress, but that is a minority of NHS. Everything else has gone away or been shut down.

I agree. I continued to pay tax, despite much reduced NHS services.

I don't get this fetishisation of the NHS. It's paid for by general taxation and the staff who work there are paid (some are paid very well). Just because treatment is free at the point of service doesn't mean that it is a free service staffed by volunteers.

So how have you all showed your appreciation for delivery drivers, essential retail workers etc? These aren't free at the point of service though so you all understand that they aren't free.

The NHS is only free to those on low incomes who don't pay much tax.

By sticking to the government guidelines and not putting an extra burden on the NHS.

I thanked them by only going out when absolutely necessary, like exercise, or just going out for my mental wellbeing. No parties, no needlessly socialising, just spending quality time with my family and following the rules.

DCs made rainbows and stuck them in the window. They also used to get really excited about clapping on Thursdays 🤷‍♀️

I show my appreciation for the nhs by clapping and I did sponsored streaking through town and put it all in the guide dog collection pot at my doctors surgery

Nhs is open, there is just lot of extra red tape. I sent a letter to pals about the top quality of care I received when ds3 was born. When dsis had an operation and was telling us how wonderful her care was, I encouraged her to send an email to pals. It is easy to complain but when things are done right, it is nice to formally say thank you.

we painted a huge rainbow on our front window and clapped with our neighbours every thursday. we are so gratful to them all.

We made a rainbow, followed the rules and clapped. I think the tip of writing to pals or the chief exec of a trust when you receive great care is a really good one.

We painted a sign on our window (then wished we would have just done a poster instead) 🙄

My family and I have not behaved like idiots. We have been mindful and respectful and careful.

We have also appreciated the work that Nurses and Carers do in Care and Nursing Homes....which were pretty much abandoned by NHS/ GPs etc in the first wave in March

Staying home and only going out when needed and i have donated food supplies to my local hospitals to thank the doctors/nurses

I made an extra effort to check in with my friend who is a NHS ICU nurse. It has been a full on year for her.

But the rest of the NHS, hmm. Well, let me start with the paed ward nurses who sat around in huddled doing sweet FA to help my daughter when she was in their ward for weeks and weeks during the first lockdown. But they were alright Jack, because the ward was emptier than it had ever been but they were fully staffed and seemingly having a ball.

I will not bow down to this cult of NHS that we seem to have created. It’s a public service paid for by taxpayers. The principle of free at point of care delivery I support 100% but the NHS needs a big culture change before I can get enthusiastic about thanking its staff.

We stayed home as requested to protect the NHS and made sure the neighbours had everything they needed.

I thanked them by making hundreds of cotton ear savers for their masks so that they no longer rubbed. I also made sure my family followed guidelines!

Why are we so weird about the NHS? It's a health service, every developed country has one, surely? Ok ours is free at point of delivery but still paid for by taxes, and care ranges from excellent to sub-standard. Genuinely, why have we gone so weird about it? I'm talking about pre-pandemic although obviously it's reached new heights in the past year. Is it because we'd rather make sentimental noises than look at funding it properly?

@OrangeSamphire, @Desnol and @Dugee

I could not agree with all you more! This Sainthood of the NHS is beyond all reason..
Let me first say that the staff working with Covid patients deserve every single thanks and accolade given to them. But the the rest ... well..

I was admitted via A&E with a spinal/head injury four weeks ago and the nursing care was the bare minimum. The bed was never made or changed, just left like a pile of rags. But the the very worse thing was the NOISE! The nurses were shrieking, shouting across the room or in the corridor to each other. No effort was made to quietly wheel metal trolleys as they went clanking around. Rest is key to recovery but it was impossible.

All this time, I had an excruciating headache and spinal pain but despite medication, each sound felt like a bullet through the head I begged one of the doctors to allocate a private room for me but he said they were all reserved for possible Covid admissions.

I could not be transferred to my local private hospital apparently for the same reason. I discharged myself - had I stayed, I believe I would have become very ill indeed.

Noise is one aspect of nursing that has no bearing on financial cuts. If one works in an office, for example, you do not yell loudly across the room to your colleagues or shriek with laughters all the time.

Finally, I don't believe ANY political party can resolve the demise of the NHS - it has changed beyond all recognition since its creation.

It's political dynanmite to suggest that everyone should pay a little something for their treatment and no party exists with that courage to say so

Good thread with some very emotional posts re the NHS - as we are in the middle of the second (and worst) wave of this virus I am not a NHS worker, but i am a mum, daughter, granddaughter neighbour and friend. My phone is always on for a chat, request for help.
I have clapped, donated to Sir Tom. kept my family safe at home, shop on-line for not only myself, but parent and grandparents, dropping off what they want, taking orders, and keeping a home order slot open a week in advance.
I am not a keyworker, NHS angel, but I have done everything in my capability to help protect those close to me, to help prevent them getting ill.
The rainbow on my house wall has faded, the clapping has stopped, but I continue to support and prevent infection for those close to me.

I have stayed at home, had our summer holiday in the back garden (hiring a hot tub which was great) I kept my family safe making masks for my parents and grandparents, made my own hand sanitiser when you could not buy it - and distributed to my grandparents and parents.
I looked after my niece for my sister-in-law who has been working on Covid wards.
When I go to the supermarket I go alone, masks and gloves on, and put out a post on my local facebook support group to see if there is anyone struggling for groceries - I pop a few items into the foodbank basket to help those who I don't know, who are struggling.

After I had to have a short stay in hospital at the start of December I made some cookies at home and hand delivered them with a card to the ward I was on. Really just wanted to let them know that I really appreciated all their care and dedication.

We clapped, social distanced, followed the rules etc etc