Sunderland says: "Thank you!"

Our son has a severe learning disability and he lives at Hylton Bank, one of the supported living schemes provided by Sunderland Care and Support. Before lockdown he had a home visit every Saturday. Naturally we were very upset that we could no longer see our son and he missed his visits home.

However the staff at Hylton Bank have been exceptional in helping us to keep in touch with our son and in the care of our son under lockdown.

Here are some of the things that have helped us to stay in touch.

Our phone calls and enquiries about our son have always been answered promptly and with courtesy.

We have been able to have brief telephone conversations with our son when he wished to say a few words.

Recently we have been able to have FaceTime contact with our son.

The Disco that he used to attend with  staff and other residents was stopped but staff have organised a disco on the same evening to take place at Hylton Bank.

A daily diary is kept by the staff of our son’s activities and excerpts of this have been scanned and emailed to us.

We usually have regular care meetings with the staff to discuss our son’s medication, epilepsy and well being and these are minuted. We had a virtual meeting using telephone conversations and questions answered by email and minutes were recorded.

A medical emergency was dealt with involving a paramedic and prompt actions taken by our son’s doctor, the  epilepsy nurse and staff at Hylton Bank to prevent another emergency.

We are indebted to Hylton Bank staff our son’s key workers and manager of Hylton Bank. Jean, Peter, Danielle, Louise, Grant, Kimberly and Ethan are amongst those who have been outstanding in caring for our son at this difficult time.

This is just to give A Big Thank You to everyone at the front line helping to save lives during these difficult times and to all Key Workers including those working in supermarkets, NHS and essential services.

You’re doing a marvellous, caring job and keep up the ‘good’ work in society.

I would like to say a massive thank you to the 0-19 Growing Healthy Sunderland screeners and admin staff who are working from the office preparing and distributing PPE packs for the school nurses and health visitors to keep children safe across Sunderland.

I would like to say "Thank you" to the doctors and reception staff at Millfield Medical Centre for their constant care and attention, especially in the present COVID 19 situation.

My husband and I joined the practice just over a year ago and we have been astounded by the standard of care we have received from both the GPs and their team of nurses and clerical staff.  On phoning the surgery, one is always met with a friendly voice and if they aren't able to help first hand, they will get you through to someone who can.  I have never heard them sound harassed, bored or intolerant, they are always courteous and professional and if they have to ring you back about something, they always do!

The GPs are all very professional and caring and do their utmost to either treat you themselves or arrange a referral to a relevant hospital and consultant.

This certainly convinces me that our NHS is worth fighting for!

Bryony Lodge would like to say a big Thank you to the NHS and to all the key workers for all your help and support, please stay safe.

A big thank you to all of the volunteers supporting those in need .

Thank you to Ian for his weekly telephone call, a volunteer with Age UK

Stay safe

I would like to thank Alison Oliver from Belle Vue House, care home for keeping all our residents and US, her staff, safe and free from the virus with all her precautions and for making sure we have enough PPE at all times.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Beth Miller who works at Sunderland Headlight. She has been really dedicated in keeping in touch with our service users to check they are doing ok, having a chat, and seeing if we can help in any way. Well done Beth!

A massive thank you to all the staff on Ward B20 at Sunderland Royal Hospital. They are taking such good care of my mam at the moment.

I would like to say thank you to the receptionist and dentist at Breeze Dental, Chester Road and Ryhope for treating me with such compassion when I had toothache last week - I am feeling much better now and so grateful you were there to help.

Ian from Age UK, driver who delivers my weekly food box. They are so helpful

A big thank you to all who keep me safe, well fed and happy

With appreciation 

I would like to thank the Pathology service who are working 24/7 processing Covid19 tests.

Without these biomedical scientists Covid19 could not be identified and at the minute are under extreme pressure with the additional workload as well as their normal work processing diseases and tests from hospitals and GP practices.

They very rarely get mentioned and are also on the frontline.

Well done to you all!

Thank you to Age UK

We would like to send a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all the Staff and Management at Mulberry House in Dawdon!!! My wife's mother is a resident there and they are taking WONDERFUL care of her during these very difficult times. 

I would like to say a huge thanks to all of the staff working tirelessly at St Mark’s Nursing home for putting themselves at risk on the front line day and night.  We really appreciate everything you are doing and couldn’t wish for my Dad to be in better hands. Thanks for also letting us speak to him on the telephone, it means a lot.  We hope the toiletries we donated to you have been of some help.  Stay safe and well everyone! 

We would like to thank all the staff at South Tyneside and Sunderland Hospitals across all departments for their dedication, wonderful care and total selflessness especially during these very difficult times.  Special thoughts to all staff across all Cancer departments from the Cancer Patient and Carer Group at ST&SFT .

A big thank you to all of the biomedical scientists who are testing for the virus. The scientists never get mentioned yet without them the virus can’t be detected.

I would like to say thank you to each and every one of the staff still working at Pavillion.  They are a fantastic team and are doing an amazing job to keep the residents safe and happy.

I could not be more proud of my team.

I would like to say a huge thank you to my dedicated staff team for their commitment and hard work in dealing with the current crisis and maintaining the residents health and safety.

So many people from our community have been incredibly generous at this time. Several local food establishments and supermarkets have donated food and treats to both staff and residents, as well as family members raising funds for a new iPad to increase communication within the home to families. We would like to thank them all and assure them that their efforts are much appreciated and keeping morale at an all-time high!

We would like to say thank you to all staff at Hopewood Park, especially our mam who is a nurse

I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Ann, she is one of the carers and has been so very good to me since l came here.

I want to express my gratitude to the management and staff at Sycamore Care Centre, Nookside, for the early and ongoing actions taken to protect beloved residents that has kept the centre to date, caronavirus free. I am particularly grateful to the dedicated team who are caring for my vulnerable loved one on Hawthorn Unit. God bless you all.

I would like to thank Avenue Pharmacy in Roker Avenue, they're the best and still ensuring everyone has what they need. They've been working extra hours and are always very helpful and very happy. They've had to implement safe distancing and are coping fabulously. They deserve recognition. 

Thank you so much for all the work you are putting in. You are putting yourselves at risk to ensure we are safe. Stay Safe 

Sending a big thank you to ALL the many people in Sunderland who are helping us during this time of crisis.  Together, with their help we will  pull through. Many, many thanks. 

Thank you to all my wonderful staff from Sunderland GP Alliance (Galleries/Barmston/Pennywell/South Hylton and New Silksworth) for their dedication and professionalism during this difficult time.   I am so proud to have you in my team!

As a retired nurse in the profession 55years I wish to commend all the personnel who are giving so much to support my country through this minefield  of a disease which has befallen mankind.  I can’t find words which express my feelings of gratitude. I pray for you all including your families.  Your sacrifice will never ever be forgotten.  GOD BLESSS.

Please include our refuse collectors, we really couldn’t manage without them. There’d be mountains of used tissues if it wasn’t for them and think of all the hospital waste. They are the forgotten heroes.

I would like to say thank you to all the care staff at Lansbury court care home - looking after a dear relative for us and in lockdown. They keep us up to date and support us when we visit outside the window and have rung twice during the evening when concerned about relatives breathing allowing one of us to see her for short time as potentially saying goodbye.

Think they are all doing an amazing job and tonight at 8 pm I will be clapping for them and those like them in other homes across the city looking after our precious family members.

A superb group of people to add to the 'Thank You' list are the teachers and school staff who are on the front line, risking infection to take care of key workers' children when they have no way of keeping them home. But most of all, they're doing their best to keep at-risk children and their vulnerable parents fed and protected from domestic abuse.
Social workers need a special 'Thank You' too, for much the same reason.

There's a massive social work element in the reality of a teacher's job (and I'm including teaching assistants and auxiliary school staff here, such as lunch staff, cleaners and janitors).

One set of people who I think should be added on to the list for "thanks" are the vets.  They are still operating their practices, although slightly differently to normal, but they are still there for all of us pet owners who may find our furry friends unwell.  If our pets become unwell it can cause us anxiety which, in turn, can affect our health, so well done to the vets and their nurses.

My mam is in Marquis Court care home and I haven't seen her since 13th March.  I think the staff in the care home are doing a fantastic job during this crisis and whenever I ring to find out how mam is there is always a cheery voice on the end of the phone. 

On Monday 7th April my husband was experiencing some worrying cardiac symptoms, and had been all weekend. After a discussion on the phone with our GP he was sent to the Emergency Department.

The staff there were brilliant with him. He was seen quickly, the staff listened to his symptoms and he received a range of tests and examinations. Thankfully he was fine and sent home within a couple of hours.

We would like this service recognised for the fabulous work they are doing to keep the people of Sunderland safe and for spending the time with my husband he needed at such a busy and stressful time for them all!