At the hospital

bmj;379/dec22_4/o3017/FAF1faMalcolm WillettIt’s not just clinical staff who burn the midnight oil to care for patients. In fact, healthcare workers other than nurses, midwives, and doctors make up more than two thirds of the NHS’s total workforce in England.1These include more than 40 000 cleaning staff, not counting workers in cleaning and laundry services that are contracted out.2 Chefs working for NHS England whipped up 131 million meals requested by inpatients in 2021-22,2 porters might take 30 000 steps a day doing hospitals’ indispensable work,3 and estates services staff maintain 5192 hectares of land owned by the NHS.2The work of staff other than nurses, midwives, and doctors keeps hospitals and health centres running. Although their contributions behind the scenes are essential, and several initiatives highlight the ways in which these key workers underpin the function of entire health systems, they too often go unrecognised. Hospital work depends on a team that…
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