A space to celebrate Florence Nightingale and her nursing legacy
Florence Nightingale Community Hospital renaming ceremony
Staff at the community hospital on London Road, marked the hospital name change to ‘Florence Nightingale Community Hospital’, on 5th July 2021, with the unveiling of a new statue taking pride of place at the front of the hospital, and portrait, to be placed inside the entrance.
With a small outdoor, socially distanced ceremony, UHDB Chair, Dr Kathy Mclean and former chair, John Rivers, opened the ceremony with the unveiling of a modern sculpture of Florence Nightingale, created by local artist, Jenny Pickford.
Internationally-known artist, Jenny Pickford, who has created many of the sculptures you see around UHDB, included the well-known Florence Nightingale quote, ‘We must be learning all of our lives’ on the side of the sculpture to inspire all who visit and work within the hospital.
The sculpture sits upon and is framed by local materials, in a setting created by local contractors Whitehouse Construction. Chairman of Whitehouse Construction, Brell Ewart, who attended the unveiling, said: “We were always pleased to be involved in this project, all the local involvement has been great and as a team we saw a way through the delay of the pandemic. To unveil on such a special day for the NHS is wonderful for everybody.”
UHDB and the Derbyshire community are very proud of the connections they hold to Florence Nightingale and her lasting legacy for nurses. To have one of the community hospitals named after her holds much importance and will maintain her legacy of nursing care and historic connections for generations.
Cathy Winfield, Executive Chief Nurse, said: “Florence Nightingale’s legacy of nursing care, education and values has been exemplified through the generations.
“Today’s nursing and midwifery leaders describe her work as critical to their practices and professions.
“Florence has family connections in Derbyshire, so what better way to honour her legacy and recognise UHDBs most outstanding nurses, midwives and nursing associates.”
The renaming of this hospital aligns UHDB community hospitals, as they are now all named after local pioneers; Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Tamworth and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital in Lichfield.
Having a hospital in Derbyshire named after Florence Nightingale will only strengthen the link between her work and the NHS today.
