By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
Staff working for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), which runs the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital, have been given pin badges as a token of appreciation from the board of directors.
Trust chief executive Anthony May has been handing out The George Cross badges, along with Christmas cards ahead of the festive period.
More than 17,000 staff working for the Trust can get a badge.
NUH commissioned the badges after Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust had them designed and distributed to its own workforce.
The George Cross (GC) is one of the highest awards bestowed by the British government for acts of heroism.
It was awarded to the four national health services of the UK in 2021.
The award was then presented to staff by Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle earlier this year.
A note with the badge from the board of directors said: “The George Cross was awarded to the NHS by Her Majesty the Queen in the summer of 2021, with a personal message at the time acknowledging the “courage, compassion and dedication” of NHS staff and the support given to people.
“We offer you this keepsake in recognition of this and add our appreciation and thank you for all that you do.”
It comes as NHS staff across the county have been striking in a dispute over pay and working conditions in the run up to Christmas.
Some nurses and healthcare assistants working for NUH walked out on December 15 and December 20.
Some East Midlands Ambulance Service workers, including paramedics, went on strike on December 21.
