Chief Nursing Officer to attend National Service of Thanksgiving

Sam Foster, our Chief Nursing Officer, will today (Monday 5 July) attend a special service at St Paul's Cathedral in London as part of the 73rd birthday of the NHS.

The National Service of Thanksgiving will recognise the dedication and commitment of all those who have played their part in combating COVID-19 across the NHS, care sector, and beyond.

Sam, who has worked on the frontline to support staff during the pandemic, administered the first Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination in the world (outside a clinical trial) in January at our Churchill Hospital Vaccination Centre.

She said: "I am very honoured to have been invited to attend this special service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral to recognise the work of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic on the occasion of the NHS Birthday. I will be proud to represent my colleagues, both clinical and non-clinical.

"I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to, not only my colleagues at OUH and the University of Oxford who have gone the extra mile to care for our patients and for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also everyone else who has pulled together and supported us.

"This includes a 'thank you' to all the volunteers, including our Oxford Hospitals Charity, and members of the Oxfordshire community for the remarkable support which we in the NHS have received since the start of the pandemic, and for which we are incredibly grateful."

Others joining Sam at the heart of the socially distanced event include members of the University of Oxford team who helped develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and Professor Sir Peter Horby.

Also in attendance will be Dr Ashley Price, a member of the team who treated the very first patients with the virus in this country, and May Parsons, who administered the first vaccine outside of a trial. 

The service will be led by the Very Reverend Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul's, and the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive, said: "The NHS's anniversary follows a uniquely challenging year for the health service and for the country.

"Twelve months ago, we all hoped the worst of coronavirus was behind us, but instead amazing NHS staff had to contend with a winter wave of infections even greater than the first.

"They rose to the challenge, not just providing care to coronavirus and other patients but, supported by volunteers and countless others, have also delivered the NHS COVID Vaccine programme with unrivalled speed and precision.

"This service is an opportunity for the whole country to reflect on the toll the virus has taken since the start of the pandemic and give thanks to the nurses, doctors, therapists, paramedics and countless other NHS staff, other key workers and everyone else including all those members of the public who played their full part."