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Dame Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse of the Guy and St Thomas NHS Foundation, said: “It is great to see our hospitals lit up with the image of Florence Nightingale. It is a very fitting tribute since their first nursing school was established at the Hospital of St Thomas in 1860, establishing Guy’s and St Thomas’ as the home of modern nursing.
“As we celebrate her bicentennial, Florence Nightingale’s teachings are more important than ever. Its emphasis on good sanitation, hygiene, and data collection remains the foundation of modern nursing and is a key part of global efforts to address the coronavirus.
“We are extremely proud of our strong connections with Florence Nightingale and it is incredibly important to us that we continue to build on her wonderful legacy of providing exceptional compassionate care.”
Thousands of former nurses have emerged from retirement to assist the NHS in the current emergency, while thousands of nursing students have taken lengthy clinical practices.
Ms. May said, “I want to thank each and every one of our amazing nurses who are on the front line in the battle against the greatest health emergency in NHS history. His professionalism and skills are helping to save and rebuild countless lives.
“It is a challenging but enormously rewarding career and I urge anyone inspired by your example to enroll and join us and become a nurse.”
Professor Greta Westwood, executive director of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said: “Florence Nightingale, herself a pioneer during her career, would have been proud of the way nurses have followed in her footsteps as pioneers and leaders in the fight against pandemic. They really are his legacy today. “
