NHS staff hit back at MP’s suggestion they ‘let their hair down’ during the pandemic

‘I was desperate to see another human being in person for the sake of my mental health but I didn’t’ a Norfolk NHS leader says

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon outside the Ormiston Victory Academy (PA)

NHS staff who have hit back at “insulting” comments by MP Richard Bacon after he suggested they had been “letting their hair down” during lockdown.

MP for South Norfolk Richard Bacon told BBC’s Look East on Wednesday the prime minister should not be condemned following Sue Gray’s damning report into downing street parties.

He said during the interview: “You haven’t gone and investigated it but there are one and a half million people who work in the NHS. I bet if you tried hard enough you could find some people letting their hair down who were working 24/7 in the NHS as well.”

Labour shadow health Secretary Wes Streeting said the MP’s comments were a “grotesque” insult to those working in the NHS.

In comments to The Independent, Natalie Brookes, Norfolk vice chair for the Royal College of Nursing said: “I was shocked to see these comments…I’m surprised that Mr Bacon would make such an uneducated statement, especially when it’s well known how hard nurses worked in Norfolk during the pandemic. Some of the stories I’ve heard from members of what they gave up...it’s just insulting that he would make such a statement.

“I have had members from Norfolk message me today saying how angry and upset they are about this statement and how misunderstood and undervalued they feel as a nurses.”,

She said comments like his continue to lower moral in the NHS adding, “they have no idea how these comments make staff feel who are giving their all every day to keep the public cared for. It’s comments like this that lead to nurses giving up the profession as they feel undervalued.”

Responding to Mr Bacon’s suggestions one senior healthcare leader in Norfolk, told The Independent: “I’m going to be generous and assume Richard spoke without thinking. NHS frontline staff saw the impact of covid first hand, from the terrified patients to the bereaved families. They wore PPE at all times and observed social distancing to keep caring for patients and did everything to minimise risk and protect their own families.”

“Being one of nine million people living alone, the first lockdown meant three months of solitary confinement. By the end I was desperate to see another human being in person for the sake of my mental health. But I didn’t because I knew I would put them and their family at risk and I knew I would lose my job if I stole a couple of hours solace meeting a best friend, even in a garden. Most people followed the rules. I can’t believe anyone associated with the NHS didn’t - simply because of their responsibility to others and their knowledge of the consequences of covid.”

Teresa Budrey, eastern regional director for the Royal College of Nursing, in response to the Mr Bacon’s comments said: “These insulting comments demonstrate how far removed our political leaders are from the experience of those working on the frontline during the pandemic.

“For the last two years NHS staff have been saving lives, sometimes without access to proper PPE at the detriment of their own safety. Today they continue to work under extreme pressure as they struggle with staffing shortages and patient backlogs.

“We invite any MP wanting to know about the experience of frontline nursing staff to meet with us so we can tell them exactly what life is like for the dedicated, skilled and hard-working staff.”