Mental health service, district nursing and community hospital staff have been praised for their 'commitment, determination and passion' through the pandemic.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Dr Nick Broughton said he was 'exceptionally proud' that colleagues across the trust had 'worked so hard' and in partnership with organisations across the county and often in new ways to meet the 'unprecedented demands' of Covid-19.

Among them is Aisha Nadeem, a 24-year-old lead dental nurse at East Oxford dental clinic and Luther Street dental clinic, who said her role had ‘changed significantly’ due to coronavirus.

Oxford Mail:

Aisha Nadeem

She said: “Amongst all the chaos that Covid-19 has brought, it has really brought the dental service, as a whole, together.

"Everyone is doing their absolute best and are continuously working hard and going the extra mile to do their part in order to help with the national effort to help fight against the virus and help our patients as best we can.”

She added the appreciation patients and local businesses had bee 'very rewarding' and make her 'proud to work for the NHS'.

Oxford Mail:

Robyn Harris

Robyn Harris, a occupational therapist healthcare manager, said before coronavirus she had been going out and about visiting clients in care and nursing homes, their own homes and in the hospitals and working from the office.

The 30-year-old said: "I never worked from home. Understandably, this has all completely changed.

"I moved team localities just before lockdown and so joined a new team of colleagues just prior to starting to work from home and covering duty full time."

She added she felt positive, saying: "I think my confidence with my role has increased which has been great to observe I feel like we have responded well to the changing needs of the health service and feel proud that we have continued to triage referrals and carry out Continuing Healthcare assessments."

Oxford Mail:

Harkirtan Kaur Tanday

Registered mental health nurse and ward manager at Oxford's Warneford Hospital Harkirtan Kaur Tanday said she continues to enjoy her job and coming to work.

The 34-year-old said: "I still have that passion of doing what I chose to do and endeavour to remain enthusiastic about doing so."

She added she found most rewarding the gratitude from patients when they leave the ward, saying: "Just the thought of the journey of the patients from admission to discharge; when they are well gives me a sense of joy and the reason for doing what I do with support of my team

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Laura Wheeler

Laura Wheeler, who works as a driver/ receptionist in Abingdon overnight as part of the urgent and ambulatory care team.

She said: "I have found that through all the uncertainty and despair the current circumstance has brought on our nation, the Urgent and Ambulatory care team that I work with have really rallied around each other and provided one of the best environments to work in.

"This has made putting patients needs, safety and wellbeing, our services first priority, so very easy."

She added: "I am immensely proud and honoured to work with the team of doctors, clinicians and driver/receptionists that we have in our team. They are all such caring, compassionate and supportive people and make the role so rewarding.

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Tikki Harrold, a school health nurse and community practice teacher, said: "I offered six of my vulnerable young people options for ongoing contact including a ‘walk and talk’ observing social distancing.

"I have to be honest and say I was sceptical that any would accept, thinking they wouldn’t want to be seen out with the school health nurse, but to my surprise I've had an acceptance rate of five out of the six."

She added: "From my perspective, it feels great to be out of the house and doing my job.

"It was a bit of normality for me and achieved what I’m not sure I could have over the phone."

Oxford Mail:

Jamie-Louise Belcher

Jamie-Louise Belcher, clinical lead nurse at Littlemore Mental Health Centre, a challenge during the pandemic had been learning how to communicate and 'build safe rapport' with patients while wearing face masks.

She added: "It has been an amazing learning experience, but I am looking forward to returning to normal...whatever normal is."

The 26-year-old said what has been most rewarding was 'seeing how much the team I work alongside has come together and kept each other safe'.