Several celebrities and individuals in public life are support the NHS Seacole Campaign. Please see statement of support from Baroness Floella Benjamin:

"Mary Seacole was a great, fearless pioneer of nursing and overcame many barriers to practice her passion for caring for others. She was dedicated to duty and went to front line to care for and save the lives of those with little hope. She truly deserves to be recognised and remembered, not only by the Windrush Generation but by the whole nation, as an inspiration for those facing the unknown today. Had she been alive now she would have been one of our NHS Heroes.'

Baroness Benjamin also officially unveiled the Mary Seacole statue in the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital in 2016.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36663206

It is ironic this is the same hospital that Boris Johnson was in the ICU ward recovering from covid-19 being looked after several staff reflecting the diversity of the NHS.

We have so many NHS Heroes who are on the frontline in saving people’s lives which is now having a major impact on BAME staff in terms of life and death. The BMA are now calling for an urgent review with the government with over 20 BAME doctors who have died.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/10/uk-coronavirus-deaths-bame-doctors-bma

We don’t know how many nurses, other NHS frontline workers and staff in care homes that have died of covid-19 as the government have failed to keep systematic records along with any equality impact assessment on their current plans around the lockdown.

That is why Mary Seacole is even more important as a role for the whole country reflecting the diversity of the NHS and all frontline workers who are risking their lives to make us safe.

Gary Younge in this article from 2019 highlights the contribution of BAME staff in the context of the Windrush Scandal.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/22/honour-nhs-built-on-immigration-windrush

Please share Baroness Benjamin message to your social networks and encourage more people to sign the petition to Matt Hancock

https://www.change.org/p/matt-hancock-mp-the-secretary-of-state-for-health-and-care-the-nec-in-birmingham-should-be-called-the-nhs-seacole

Please see image designed by Dr Pen Mendonca highlight the contribution of BAME as part of the 70th anniversary of the NHS and Windrush.

Have a Safe Easter
Patrick Vernon OBE
@ppvernon