North Hampshire hospital staff appear in new TV advert

Testimonials from medics at Basingstoke and North Hampshire hospital - run by the same trust as hospitals in Andover and Winchester - are part of a new government campaign reminding the public of the extreme pressures still facing the NHS.

The advert features the powerful phrase: “Look them in the eyes and tell them you are doing all you can to stop the spread of COVID-19." 

The campaign will appear on for the first time on television tonight and will run across TV, radio, digital and on social media. 

Alex Whitfield, Chief Executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the emotional appeal is aiming to encourage the public to heed the government's restrictions.

The health boss said: “We are pleading with the public to stay at home in order to look after each other and support our NHS staff so we can ultimately all play a part in saving lives.

She continued: "We hope that by having a film crew in here to hear how much pressure our hospital and staff are under, the public will get an understanding of what happens here every day. The threat is very real to us all.”

Someone is admitted to hospital with the virus every 30 seconds, according to the Department for Health and Social Care. 

And one quarter of those are now under the age of 55. 

A spokesman for the department added there are currently more than 38,000 beds taken up in England by Covid-19 patients.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said: “The impact of the current wave is still putting significant pressure on hospitals across the country and many patients are very sick. 

“Vaccines give clear hope for the future, but for now we must all continue to play our part in protecting the NHS and saving lives.”

Latest Covid-19 statistics show the UK has seen the highest number of deaths recorded from Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, with more than 1,000 people dying per day for the last 10 days.