All of this week on The Guide Liverpool we are shining a spotlight on Liverpool’s NHS heroes. From the porters to the doctors, nurses to the paramedics – we will be meeting teams across the city and hearing how they have supported us through 2020.

Staff have made extraordinary sacrifices and put themselves, their own lives and health, at risk to save others.

We can’t overestimate just how vital their efforts have been since the pandemic began, and especially those who’ve kept our hospitals operating in incredibly difficult times. 

As the year comes to an end, we look back on how NHS staff across our Liverpool City Region hospital have coped, their experience of working on the frontline, their plans for Christmas and hopes for 2021.

On Monday we met Broadgreen Hospital Ward Sister, Emily McGuffie and on Tuesday we moved to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to meet Edna, a nurse who has been working on COVID wards in the city. Today we shine a light on a staff member at Aintree Hospital.

Meet Neil Fletcher, who worked his second Christmas in a row this year as a Porter at Aintree University Hospital. Neil explains why he volunteered to help care for our community’s ill and injured on the big day!

“I play a small part in the care of our short stay patients wheeling them to and from appointments, but I’d like to think I can put this time to good use and spread some Christmas cheer; otherwise I’d only be sat at home eating too much.

“It’s been a strange and challenging year for everyone, but we received an early Christmas present in the coronavirus vaccine.

“I’ve witnessed first-hand the strain this virus places on the health and wellbeing of our patients and my colleagues; this is not something to be taken lightly.

“Please respect the incredible sacrifices our clinical teams have made during the past nine months. They have donned PPE for hours on end and in some cases, been unable to go home to see their children and partners after a shift.

“When I’m home at 5pm awaiting a visit from my son and daughter, I’ll be remembering the importance of washing our hands, wearing a face covering and keeping our distance. By taking these simple steps we help ensure that we can celebrate future Christmases together.”

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