Faculty support for the fight against COVID-19

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly difficult for many people, for many different reasons.

While all of us face huge challenges on a personal level and have had big changes to our daily lives, the University as a whole has also had to a quickly.

Our campuses have closed temporarily. We’ve switched to delivering all teaching and learning online. Non-teaching staff are working from home. Research that isn’t absolutely vital (eg coronavirus-related) has been put on hold.

Meanwhile, the NHS is being stretched like never before.

During these challenging times, our staff and students are still taking extraordinary steps to support the fight against the coronavirus.

So far:

• many academic clinicians have voluntarily returned to working in the NHS, on the frontline
• 13 diagnostic machines have been supplied to help with coronavirus testing
• vital emergency supplies have been given to our local NHS
• hundreds of final-year medical students, nurses and other healthcare professionals have joined the NHS workforce
• car parking has been opened up for NHS workers and indoor spaces are being used as temporary accommodation
• a free e-learning package has been launched to support those working in healthcare with their mental wellbeing
• more than 600 medicine and healthcare students are volunteering through their societies, helping however they can
• physiotherapy and sport rehabilitation students are contributing to an online fitness programme for people to use while in isolation
• key research expertise is being shared to advance scientific understanding of COVID-19 and healthcare across the globe

It’s heart-warming to see our community pulling together and finding so many ways to help during this national crisis.

John Atherton (Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) has shared this message,

“Many of you have shown extraordinary effort, responsibility and initiative in stressful and personally worrying times. You should be hugely proud of what you have done. I, and the whole university, are humbled and proud.”

We’re awed by the enthusiasm, bravery and selflessness of fellow staff and students. You’re an inspiration to us all!

More information about the University’s wider contribution can be found on our COVID-19 webpages.