The country’s leading health organisations – between them
representing hundreds of thousands of NHS staff – have today come
together to stand against the abuse to which they have been
subjected during the pandemic. The group – which includes the
Royal College of Midwives, UNISON, and the NHS Confederation –
has also urged the public to stand with them.
The last few days have seen an incredible outpouring of support
for the RCM and its Chief Executive Gill Walton, shown by the
list of signatories in a letter in the Times tomorrow. This
followed abuse and death threats on social media as she worked to
encourage pregnant women to have the COVID-19 vaccine. The volume
of support for her has been remarkable with politicians including
, other
health organisations and the public stepping forward to shout
down those that hurl abuse from the shadows of social media.
Gill Walton said:
“Over the past 16 months, health and care workers have been
working under incredible stress, with increased demands and less
staff because of the pandemic, yet still they have strived to
provide the best possible care. I know the vast majority of the
public are incredibly grateful for that dedication and
commitment. However, too many health and care workers have faced
abuse from a small but vocal minority, from COVID deniers to
anti-vaxxers.
“Our midwives, doctors, nurses, porters, cleaners, everyone
working for the NHS, has the right to safety and respect in the
workplace. To those who abuse us for simply making polite
requests to wear masks or to maintain social distance in
hospitals or GP practices, to those who deny the existence of the
pandemic or the science of vaccination, to those who issue death
threats or incite violence against us, we say enough is enough.”
The RCM’s rallying cry of #IStandWithGill has shone a spotlight
on the abuse health and care staff experience every day.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
"The overwhelming majority of people value and appreciate
everything NHS staff have done throughout the pandemic.
"It's health workers that have made the vaccination programme
such a success. But as they encourage everyone to have their
jabs, some have suffered appalling abuse. This must stop.
"The pandemic is real, and the virus can kill. Anti-vaxxers and
Covid deniers are entitled to their opinions. But they must be
prevented from hounding dedicated NHS staff, who must be
protected so they can do their jobs in peace."
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Academy of Medical
Royal Colleges said:
“For the least eighteen months everyone in healthcare has shown
what incredible things can be achieved if we pull together. We
now need to be more united than ever and show our solidarity by
calling out the aggressive and unreasonable behaviour of a small
minority.”
ENDS
To contact the RCM Media Office call 020 7312 3456, or email
media@rcm.org.uk.
Notes to editor
See also ‘seven out of 10 midwives
experience abuse from women and partners during pandemic, says
RCM’ 20-11-20.
A letter about standing up to abuse from the RCM and other health
organisations including Unison, the Academy of Medical Royal
Colleges, the Royal College of Obstetricians &
Gynaecologists, NHS Confederation, British Medical Association,
and the Royal College of Nursing will be published in the Times
tomorrow.
