'Together we will beat this': Lincolnshire hospitals thank staff and community one year since first Covid patients
This week marks one year since hospitals in Lincolnshire started treating their first Covid-19 patients.
To mark the anniversary, the chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has issued an open letter of thanks to everyone who has supported their sites, which include Grantham and District Hospital, Lincoln County Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital.
In the message, Andrew Morgan paid tribute to staff members for their hard work during "the most challenging year", as well as thanking the people of Lincolnshire for their support, saying; "the local community continues to play a huge part in the fight against COVID-19."
He writes:
The letter continues: "I think it is fair to say that this has been the most challenging year ever experienced in the history of the NHS and the way teams have pulled together has been nothing short of incredible.
"The resilience, teamwork and compassion shown by everyone has made me even more proud to work for the NHS, than I already was.
"I have seen and heard some inspirational things, as well as some heart-breaking stories. All of it has been truly humbling. It really has been a year of mixed emotions for us all.
"I also want to thank the people of Lincolnshire for helping us. We know how valuable NHS services are and without you supporting us in a whole host of ways, I cannot begin to imagine how much more difficult the last year would have been.
"From clapping for the NHS at the beginning of the pandemic, finding appropriate healthcare services and offering your services for free, we have been overwhelmed with support from all over the country.
He concluded: "As we move forward and look to the future, I want to extend our thanks to everyone who has shown their support for us in recent months, however large or small the gesture. Let’s keep up our collective efforts, and together we will beat this."
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Coronavirus numbers increased again in Lincolnshire last week with 1,120 new cases in Greater Lincolnshire and 24 COVID-related deaths. That's compared to 818 cases and 19 deaths in the first week of March.
On Saturday and Sunday, the government recorded 169 new Covid-19 cases in Lincolnshire, 79 in North East Lincolnshire and 54 in North Lincolnshire.
NHS England reported five new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, bringing the total so far this week to 21, up from 15 the previous week.