Ella Saunders, rotational pharmaceutical assistant- Great Western Hospital, Wiltshire.
As she grabbed her Emma Bridgewater mug of chamomile and peppermint tea, Ella sat down in the corner of her room, surrounded by plants, vines and candles. ‘Welcome to my zen space’, she laughed. ‘It’s been a long day.’
When starting her first full time job at the age of 19, Ella Saunders didn’t expect to be saving the lives of the nation nine months in. As a Pharmaceutical Assistant at the Great Western Hospital, she’s worked solidly over the course of the pandemic, to ensure crucial life-saving medication is delivered to the coronavirus ward and intensive care unit. Although in the South-West of England, Covid-19 case figures remain relatively low, Ella has been too busy to take annual leave this year.
“I remember the first day a big meeting was called, we were told that the first few patients were on their way to the hospital and to expect a lot of deaths. I didn’t feel scared, I was more concerned for my family.”
For a lot of healthcare workers, the pandemic has been more frustrating than frightening. In Ella’s household, her brother is a policeman and her mum is a nurse, so finding time to spend together has been almost impossible.
Visiting all wards of the hospital prior to the pandemic, she’s witnessed a lot more heartache than the rest of us. But nothing quite prepares you for your first time seeing Coronavirus patients in critical condition.
“The first time I saw a young woman on the ward was a shock.” She admitted, “She only looked to be about 30 and was gasping for air. I think that’s when it really dawned on me what was happening.”
Ella wears full PPE day in, day out and has her very own ventilated helmet for visiting Covid contaminated areas.
She adds, “still now when I step inside the Covid ward, I come home thinking about what I’ve seen that day. Although, and I know my colleagues will agree with me, after a certain period of time you do become desensitised.”
She admits that 2020 forced a lot of positive changes in her personal life. “I saw the worst of what life can throw at you, so I wanted to start making the best of what I had.”
A tribute to her dedication, the Great Western Hospital has built a rainbow mural, comprised of keyworker’s names to honour their services over the course of the pandemic.
“It feels amazing” said Ella. “I’ve definitely made history there.” She smiled softly as she took another sip of herbal tea.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Now a year into the pandemic, the staff struggle with the lack of public support in comparison to the first lockdown.
“In general everyone is sick and tired of this. At first I felt appreciated, and it’s no longer like that.”
But there is hope. Like 75% of staff at the Great Western Hospital, Ella has received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. And the creator of the vaccine hopes to restore normality across the country by next winter.
As I thanked her for talking to me, Ella blew out her candle, ready to do it all again tomorrow. “Right, it’s past my bedtime so I’ll have to go.” The aesthetic of her plants and vines are a reminder that at end of the day, she’s just an ordinary young woman doing an extraordinarily good job.
