Today we are celebrating National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day, which falls on the third Wednesday of every June. The National Day is newly introduced by a team of associations to celebrate the essential contribution that Estates and Facilities staff make, every day, across health and social care.
In many cases, the first NHS Lothian staff member that a patient or visitor will meet is from the Estates and Facilities Team, and they are an integral contributor to the care and support NHS Lothian provides to everyone who accesses our services. This day is designed with that in mind, to encourage everyone to recognise and appreciate the Estates and Facilities work as equally important to the work of clinical staff.
Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Lothian said: “This is a perfect opportunity to recognise the role of our Estates & Facilities workforce, to reflect on the work done by you, our highly skilled and dedicated staff and the value you and your colleagues bring to NHS Lothian. I am immensely proud of the team for the way in which you all have risen to these huge challenges and continue to do so. You have worked tirelessly and actively exemplify the NHS Lothian Values through everything you do.”
As part of this tribute, Morag Campbell, Director of Estates & Facilities wanted to share her gratitude to all her staff in a short video:
Jane McNulty, Associate Nurse Director for Theatres and Anaesthetics, said: “Our Estates and Facilities team were invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were critical in putting up temporary separations and keeping our staff and patients – both those with COVID-19 and those without – as safe as possible.
“I want to thank them for their efficiency, their responsiveness, and their helpfulness. Estates and Facilities are very much part of the team, not just in Critical Care but across our departments, and we extend our gratitude for their hard work. Their impact cannot be underestimated, so I am happy that we are recognising and celebrating these members of staff with a National Day.”
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director for Primary and Community Care has also done a short video talking about how crucial the Hard FM staff were in the setting up of the vaccination programme.
Agnes Ritchie would also like to take the opportunity in a short video to thank all that Estates & Facilities staff in clinical areas and catering, especially those in St John’s Hospital:
If you are not sure what tasks fall under Estates and Facilities, please have a look at the video below for an introduction to these fields or watch it here.
If you work with a colleague within Estates and Facilities who you believe goes above and beyond what is expected of their role, you can nominate them for the Tom Waterson Support Services Award. Find more information here.
Participate in our ongoing celebrations on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), and look forward to articles sharing the stories of two Estates and Facilities staff.
