A REHABILITATION centre for patients recovering from Covid-19 has been named after the pioneering nurse Mary Seacole.
The NHS Seacole is the first of its kind in England, and will dedicate its service to the fight against the pandemic. Based in Leatherhead, Surrey, the temporary hospital has around 300 in-patient beds.
It is hoped NHS Seacole will help ease pressure on nearby hospitals allowing more capacity to treat those in need of urgent and emergency care for Covid-19.
Established
Mary Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse and a heroine of the Crimean War. There she established the British Hotel to provide “a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers”, as well as working on the battlefield to nurse wounded soldiers.
“It is great that Mary Seacole, famous for battling disease and pioneering community rehabilitation, is being recognised.”
Trevor Stirling, Chair of Mary Seacole Trust
As a woman of mixed race in the 19th century, Ms Seacole and her family had few civil rights and faced racism throughout their lifetime, however she overcame the prejudice to become the highly-regarded “Mother Seacole”.
The NHS said it had dedicated the new community hospital to Ms Seacole to pay tribute to the BAME nurses and staff at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS Seacole served as a tribute of the “extraordinary work” of the nurse, as well as the “compassion and dedication” of the NHS.
Decision
The Mary Seacole Trust has welcomed the decision describing it as a reminder of the contributions made by healthcare workers from different backgrounds.
Chair Trevor Sterling added: “The coronavirus is the biggest challenge to our country and our population in living memory.
“It is great that Mary Seacole, famous for battling disease and pioneering community rehabilitation, is being recognised in our country’s response to the virus”.
SOURCE – https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news
