Our family will be forever grateful to the wonderful NHS

LIKE many others during this pandemic, I have thought a lot about the stoic efforts of so many people within our NHS.

Across all roles and levels, staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that our precious health service has continued to treat and support people with a whole range of physical and mental health needs in circumstances that have been challenging, to say the least, and undoubtedly worrisome and daunting at times.

Since January in particular, with the birth of my son Charlie, I have come to appreciate these efforts more acutely on a personal level.

And, having seen time and again reports of NHS staff on the frontline feeling undervalued and underappreciated, my husband and I would like to put on record our utmost and heartfelt gratitude to all those who have been involved in looking after our family in recent weeks during two stays at Barnsley Hospital.

I cannot fault the care we received nor the compassion we were shown, both on the maternity wards when Charlie entered the world a month early and again on the children’s ward when, at five-weeks-old, he was sadly admitted to hospital and treated for suspected sepsis.

The latter was the longest, scariest, most emotional and exhausting week of our lives. But the staff went above and beyond to leave no stone unturned in Charlie’s testing and treatment and, thankfully, bring him back to his usual self.

To all those who looked after us on both occasions, thank you for doing an incredible job in such difficult times.

For his care, for our care, for the reassurance, the comfort, the practical help and for keeping us informed every step of the way, we will forever be grateful. Thank you, our wonderful NHS.

From: John Seymour, Church Fenton, Tadcaster.

THE one per cent pay rise for NHS staff is an insult to the many, many dedicated people, who are getting us through this pandemic. Heaven only knows where this country would have been without them and this Conservative government, with its many blunders, has the temerity to offer one per cent.

Similarly, the scientists and researchers, many no doubt working long hours to produce a vaccine in record time. These are the people who should be justly rewarded for saving lives, not just clapped.

Yet borrowed money can be found for restoring castles and pleasant market towns, with Tory MPs of course. How?