Fighting “Our War” For Us
Once a chaotic and busy city, Plymouth has become an eery place with very few human activities on the streets to be seen. Dr Amanda Harry is a General Practitioner who works at West Hoe Surgery. Being a doctor for over 30 years she has never had to face an outcry for help quite like this before. She explains the fear, terror and upset she has felt throughout the first few weeks of preparing for the pandemic outbreak, COVID-19 in the ocean city of Plymouth. Whilst the attention from the media is primarily focused on the hospitals and their ITU beds, insufficient ventilators and lack of personal protection equipment, the question why there isn’t the consideration for the people who the patients go to first, the GPs being given?
Following her every footstep, I shadowed Dr Amanda Harry during the first few weeks of preparation of COVID-19 outbreak in an antiseptic and caffeine fuelled GP surgery, a place she now calls the “Ghost Ship”. The usual heaving waiting area is quiet and bare as essential patient visiting rule is applied. Every step echoed through the bare walls and every hand wash could be smelt within seconds on the tap being turned.
Her voice polite yet friendly welcomed me into her room, perched opposite each other. Her eyes appeared tired and stressed but her sunny disposition made me feel comfortable and at ease: a direct comparison to the fear she has felt since the outbreak. As a nation we are heavily dependent on the NHS with many of us abusing the nature of the NHS to cure our woes. Amanda explained, “as doctors we are used to being busy and used to having difficult discussions with patients but COVID-19 is going to stretch our skills to the max”. From the start of the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, nearly every country has been affected with no power to be able to fight the virus and to prevent the number of deaths that increase as the days go on. As the death toll rises in the UK by staggering numbers each day, the pressure is only felt more by the doctors and nurses trying to treat and stay protected themselves. On a daily basis, GPs have to make tough decisions for their patients but COVID-19 has led too many to be fearful of the future. Amanda explains how rather than fearing catching the virus, she fears “the difficult decisions we are yet to face. Asking someone if they want to die in hospital or at home, alone or with their family who could then contract the virus and die. That is what I am scared of and it pains me to think that people understand the emotional distress it has caused on every frontline member of the NHS.”
Starting off at Wuhan in China, the virus has caused global panic and in local areas it has caused local communities to come together and plan a strategy of attack. John F. Kennedy once said “In a crisis, don’t hide behind anything or anybody. They’re going to find you anyway.” Bear Bryant said, “In a time of domestic crisis, men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.” This could not be truer for some of Plymouth’s head NHS staff who have come together to organise plans of their own, “to get through this as safely as possible”, Amanda said. “There are so many people around and meetings of minds determining best practice for the coming months.” Communication is key in any team, but during a crisis it is found to be crucial in tackling something head on.
Overnight the NHS has seen a drastic change to every sector of the health service. The conventional methods of visiting your GP is out and telephone and video chats used to combat against personal contact. “I have never seen one thing be able to change primary care so quickly and by so much” Amanda said whilst she took a large glug of coffee. “Boxes of surgical masks and aprons and gloves arrived this week yet the use by dates on the surgical masks is 2016 but we have reassurance from NHS England that they have been tested and that they are okay” she said hesitantly as if she doesn’t believe them.
Since the talk of Brexit started in 2016 and the threat of then leaving the European Union, medical supplies have been on a shortage. But although it hasn’t had a direct effect to primary care for GPs it has not made the situation better. Amanda said “We are unable to get hold of important supplies because of lack of stock so have been trying to improvise. Like hand making our own visors from acetate and 3D printing headbands for them; fashioning theatre gowns from surgery curtains, asking hoteliers for plastic shower caps as no surgical hats available. The lack of protection for the NHS staff is astonishing. Would you expect a member of the army to be sent to war without their camouflage uniform, or expect a fireman to not have a water hose to put out a burning building? However, the falsely advertised £350 million on the side of Boris’ infamous Brexit Bus is now desperately needed and being found in other areas of public money to help fund for the essentials for every NHS staff member to protect themselves and prevent spreading the virus even more.
The preparation for something so severe yet with having “no experience of” is daunting and Amanda describes it almost as “enlisting into the army, not believing there will be a war yet then all of a sudden you have been drafted and sent to fight. We are doing what we have trained for, to treat the sick and try to prevent others. This is our war we are fighting”. With government guidelines being to self-isolate if symptoms have become apparent which has left many practices to be understaffed. In Plymouth where recruitment and staffing levels have already been causing issues in the last few years, this has put an increasing strain on the already depleted work force.
Amanda pauses to think, she rubs her temples and describes her constant headache. Unable to sleep during all of this change, Amanda blames it on “COVID-insomnia”, a new term coined by the healthcare staff who are “going to bed exhausted but waking with their brains buzzing of ideas and worries then unable to get back to sleep”.
In order to combat against the spread of COVID-19, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have asked GPs to set up multiple “hot hubs around Devon and within 48 hours they had set up a surgery in Plymouth fit for this” The surgery would have 3 clinical rooms with vinyl flooring, a disrobing room and shower room for clinicians. An outdoor tented area where cars could drive up and basic assessment could be made in cars. However, “within 24 hours the CCG back tracked and now need a Devon wide solution, one massive hot hub in the city. 2 days later and they’re still looking for a suitable site as the local hospital has bagged everywhere. The chaotic manners from the top only resonate to stress and anxiety for the staff on the frontline, who need the support and structure from the top.
In the midst of a national crisis the preparation that Plymouth is doing for COVID-19 has unified the workforce in the area. Being able to multitask has always been a key skill for GPs to have, but now it is ever more so in need. I can’t start to imagine the stress and anxiety that NHS staff like Dr Amanda Harry are under and will continue to be face until there is a plan for the unknown.
Interviewee description
Legs crossed and fingers tied. He sits uncomfortably answering sordid questions hoping for a truthful response. Exaggerated body gestures like a violent hand movement or rapid head turn which convey contrasting thoughts to his words. His voice started calm and soft yet throughout the process his voice increased with trepidation and woe which resulted in stuttering of words. His skin slowly developing into a blushed crimson glow as he is more hesitant to the questions posed at him. Eye contact is variable and not constant expressing his feeling of being under pressure. He constantly alters his position of the chair, more rapid movements as he loses less control over the interview.
Erin, Young, Broke and Confused About Life
The undecided and self confessed confused art school drop out, Erin Chegwyn explains about the pressure of attending university. Playing to her strengths of searching for a career path in fashion and art yet still finding out who she is.
When you were studying at college what did you think you wanted to do, or did you know at all?
Well at the beginning I loved college and thought I wanted to pursue a career in fashion design, however the stress of the college lifestyle for me was a struggle due to the travelling and because it was a completely new city for me as I had just moved from surrey to Cornwall, which unfortunately took the joy out of the course and led me to think that it was fashion design was not for me.
Why did you choose a prestigious university like Central Saint Martins (CSM) to study at?
I think I decided to apply at central saint martins to prove something to myself because it was known as being “the best of the best” and I wanted to see if I was good enough to get in. Plus I loved the idea Of attending a challenging university as I thought it would push me to me to get the best out of my creative ability.
Did you ever feel under pressure going to a uni with such high
Unfortunately I only lasted a couple of weeks and I dropped out of CSM because I was commuting 2 hours each way to get to university and it was so much money and really was putting a strain on my mental health. And I really just thought if I carried on their my mental health would deteriorate.
What did you do next?
So after dropping out of CSM I decided to apply to UCA Farnham (University for the Creative Arts) which was only 5 minutes away from me through clearing, for the same course (art and design foundation).
When you transferred to UCA did you find it easier to find settle down and enjoy your degree?
At the beginning of the course I really enjoyed it however I also was working 6 days a week to be able to afford to live comfortably and it was a lot. I had chosen my pathway of fine art it had turned out not to be what I had quite expected. The room was so cramped that it was hard to complete work within the university as sometimes I wouldn’t even have my own desk. Along with this I was so tired from work that I struggled to find the time outside of uni to complete my work which lead me to fall behind and not really enjoy the course. I didn’t want to end up hating painting as it’s always been something that I have enjoyed, and I felt like if I carried on there I would’ve been unhappy. It made me realise that I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do and I began to miss the excitement that I got when I studied fashion design. It defiantly made me confused that I was going to drop out of two art uni’s and I still didn’t know what I want to do. But, I finally came to the final decision that I wanted to focus on myself for a year and earn some money and see the world, because I believed that once I was completely happy in myself that I would enjoy what I was doing more and be able to have a think about what I actually wanted to do as a career.
What did your family say when you told them you didn’t want to go to university at all?
My family were sooo supportive when I told them that I didn’t want to continue with my studies because they just wanted me to be happy and do what I thought was right. Once I turned 18 they always said that it’s my turn to make my own decisions and it’s my life and I need to be happy in whatever I’m doing because you only get to be 18 once. As I’m completely independent and living on my own as I moved back to surrey after college, my mum didn’t really help me look for jobs as she knew I was able to do that on my own. My mum was ALWAYS there to give me any advice and if I ever needed to chat to anyone about what I was doing she would be there to listen and help. However I did find my current two jobs that I have on my own.
What do you think you want to do now?
I think at this point in time I am still going back and forth with the idea of what I want to do in the future. However my mum has made me realise that I’m only 18 and I have my whole life ahead of me so I’m not stressing about making my decision of what I want to do today or tomorrow. At this point in time I am focusing on myself, and earning money and seeing the world as that’s what is making me happiest. I have found myself stressing about the future and when I have I’ve always seemed to be more drawn to fashion and design so maybe this is something I will look into for next year. I don’t want to stress myself out about uni atm because tbh it’s never really been something that I have fused about. I’m just going with the flow and see what happens. I think I will end up where I’m meant to be and that’s all that matters to me at the moment
Have you learnt anything from all of it or do you think it’s made you more confused about the future?
I have absolutely no regrets about dropping out of uni, if anything it’s made me a happier person. It has also pointed out to me that I was doing a course that I wasn’t happy in and I want to focus on clothes this year, buying them, styling them, wearing them etc.
Because you mention about being “a happier person”, do you think that your mental health is at the forefront of everything you do, so that you can be happy?
Yes 100%!!! after being in a really bad mental state a year ago I always put myself first. Because being that unhappy is not healthy and also soooo very scary because I’d never want it to lead me to do something silly. Yeah I still have days now which aren’t great but I’m sooo much happier now and I’d do anything to make sure my mental health is better. I think after losing people close to me because of mental health has also made me realise how precious life, family and friends are.. and I’d never want to do something to damage my family or my relationship with them. Life’s soo much better when you get to spend time and talk to people. And when you’re in a bad place, a lot of the time that’s something you can’t do. I say to myself “never do anything that’s going to make u sad or unhappy, it’s just not worth it”.
Bin Bags Abandoned For Weeks at a Family Park
Around four bags of leaf litter were left in a hedge outside Rush Common for more than 9 weeks this Autumn.
The bins have been left there since mid-August and with a local resident, Andy Ion reporting the problem to the council on several occasions. Each report ended up with similar response from the council and no action had been taken.
Litter in London seems to be of little concern to local councils, Mr Ion said: “It seems to go hand in hand with how people little in London: no one really cares.”
He later said: “there’s a lot of bureaucracy and it is a bigger problem that would involve systemic disconnects between social media people and the people who do the work.”
On the 4th September, Mr Ion started sending emails and tweets directed at Lambeth Council, after the exact location given, the council replied: “We will raise this with our parks team now”.
Over 9 weeks later, the bags were still littering a hedge by the park.
A regular gardener of Rush Common said: ‘there is nothing I can do; the bins have to be disposed of by the right people’
‘I can report the bins, but I get the same response as if a local reported the problem’ he said.
Fly tipping is a growing concern in London for councils and the government with it increasing by 58% since 2013 according to London Government statistics.
Unable to get a response from Lambeth Council about this situation this can only prove how serious they take littering and fly tipping in the local community.