Torbay Hospital staff praised for Christmas Day work amid winter pressures

Heroes all - while the majority of us were tucking into our Christmas turkey and enjoying  a glass of something special, these special people were working hard saving lives and caring for others at Torbay Hospital.

A flu surge and other winter bugs have made this Christmas just as busy,  if not busier, as previous years. But the hospital staff just get on with the job in hand with many of us simply taking what they do for granted.

A special Christmas Day social media post paid tribute to all of them with photographs of teams from different departments, ranging from doctors and nurses to receptionists and the hospital chaplain.

The post from the Torbay and South Devon NHs Foundation Trust said: “Just a few snapshots of the more than 1,100 people working for us today. A huge thank-you to everyone working today - whatever your role and wherever you work.”

Joe Teape, Chief Executive of the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, paid his own tribute to the entire workforce when he said: “Christmas Day reminded me, again, what matters most here at Torbay and South Devon; the care our teams give and way they look out for each other, and the quiet pride they take in doing the right thing for people and families.

“On Christmas morning I was out across our sites (as was our Chair Chris Balch), saying thank you in person where we could. We didn’t get to every team, but I want you to know how deeply I appreciate the commitment I saw—and the messages I’ve since heard about colleagues stepping in, swapping shifts, and keeping things moving safely.

“The NHS faces many challenges as do we at Torbay and South Devon, but the fantastic people we have across our organisation will continue to turn these into opportunities as we face them together and do all we can to improve the care we provide to all of our communities.”

We will all raise a glass to that…