Support For Healthcare Workers Gives Doctor ‘Motivation To Carry On’

Healthcare workers across the globe are receiving praise and recognition for their work amid the ongoing outbreak, but as well as feeling acknowledged one doctor has said the support is giving him ‘motivation to carry on’.

More and more over the past weeks, I’ve seen social media posts highlighting the importance of key workers – something that was rare in the days before this ongoing outbreak. Without a doubt, those keeping the world running now are the same people who are often underappreciated, underpaid and underestimated.

Teachers, refuse collectors, cleaners, supermarket staff and healthcare workers, among others, are the people we rely on every day, and yet it seems to have taken a worldwide issue for many people to recognise just how vital they are.

It’s saddening to know key workers haven’t always had the appreciation they deserve, but hopefully the public will come out of this troubling time having learned to not take them for granted.

Dr. Asif Munaf, a medical registrar working in the East Midlands, feels his work has ‘often’ gone underappreciated in the past, but he agrees the public’s view of healthcare workers has changed as a result of the outbreak.

The ongoing outbreak threatens to put great strain on the NHS, which struggled with insufficient resources and staff numbers before the spread. It seems the newfound respect for health workers has helped ease this strain, though, as Asif noted the number of patients attending A&E with minor injuries seems to have reduced massively ‘because they know how stretched we are’.

He added:

This has eased the pressure on our services greatly.

As well as easing pressure on the NHS, Asif has found the appreciation of health workers at this time has had a positive impact on the way he approaches work.

UK residents have been showing their support in a number of ways, by donating money to NHS Charities Together, displaying drawings of rainbows and breaking out into applause every week as part of the ‘Clap For Our Carers’ initiative.

Alongside the public displays of gratitude, Asif has found encouragement through his family and friends, as well as neighbours who have urged him to get in contact with them should he ever need anything.

Speaking about how this appreciation makes him feel, Asif said:

The weekly clap for carers has really shown us that the public perception of frontline NHS workers is very appreciative.

It makes me feel tremendously grateful and gives me the motivation to carry on… I go into work with a renewed sense of optimism, hope and positivity.

Asif went on to explain how the gratitude has also helped him value his work more, as it helps remind him that the public are relying on key workers to help beat the virus.

The doctor expressed a ‘huge thank you’ to the public for the support, and said it’s that which ‘keeps [health workers] going through these difficult times’.

It feels wrong that Asif is thanking the public when the majority of us are doing nothing more than sitting at home, but it’s clear that expressing our gratitude to those who are risking their lives every day can really go a long way.

This kind of acknowledgement is something key workers should have always had, and though it’s taken too long to realise that hopefully it is something that will be maintained into the future.

Asif hopes people will continue to see health workers as hard working people who are willing to ‘put [their] lives on the line with very little in the way of protective equipment.’

Knowing something as small as a kind tweet can go as far as to motivate and give hope to a healthcare worker is an indicator of just how big an effect our actions can have. Staff do need our support now more than ever, but doing our part to help those who save lives shouldn’t be a short-term trend.