Not a self pity post but to give some context, I've been in University Hospital Wishaw the past couple of days diagnosed with pneumonia and tachycardia, kept in for observation of a sky high fever and heart rate. Home now and recovering, thankfully.

However, my primary takeaway observation from the experience is how absolutely undervalued and utterly incredible the NHS nurses are - it's certainly true at UHW, and I'd believe it to be true at other facilities too. The power and nature of work these incredible people take on for what is ultimately a pittance of pay is extraordinary. Not just the dark side of personal care in dealing with bodily fluids etc, but the entitlement, belligerence, and abuse that they are subject to frequently and they deal with it all with professionalism, altruism, humour and kindness is something that absolutely amazed me.

I know during Covid-19 etc we 'clapped for our heroes', and I'm under no illusion from knowing people in the profession just how hard they work that this has always been true - but seeing it first hand, so consistently and in a range of different scenarios I really have a profound appreciation for the conditions these incredible people work under.

Quadruple every one of their salaries as far as I'm concerned. They deserve to be properly compensated for the great they do.