Kenye Karemo

A sobering read with lots of reminders about the power of the in between and health. theguardian.com/society/2026/m…

Follow Ethel’s journey as she’s cared for on the ward. Our new electronic patient record (EPR) helps teams make informed decisions, record care as it happens, and make the best decisions about care. 👉 bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/electronic-pat… Credit: Airdale NHS Foundation Trust

Happy Healthcare Support Workers Day to all of our healthcare assistants and maternity support workers. Thank you for all the amazing care you provide to our patients!

Today, we’re celebrating the incredible work of our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) across BHRUT, from physiotherapists to speech and language therapists. Thank you for everything you do to support our patients.

One month before her 95th birthday, Patricia Routledge wrote words that still echo softly today: “I’ll be turning 95 this coming Monday. In my younger years, I was often filled with worry — worry that I wasn’t quite good enough, that no one would cast me again, that I wouldn’t live up to my mother’s hopes. But these days begin in peace, and end in gratitude.” Her life didn’t truly take shape until her forties. She had worked steadily — in provincial theatres, radio plays, and West End productions — yet often felt adrift, searching for a home within herself. At 50, she accepted a television role she assumed would be small: Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances. To her surprise, it carried her into living rooms around the world. That role, she later reflected, helped her embrace her own quirks. It healed something in her. At 60, she began learning Italian — not for work, but so she could sing opera in its native tongue. She also discovered how to live alone without being lonely. Each night, she read poetry aloud, not for diction, but to quiet her soul. At 70, she returned to Shakespeare’s stage, no longer burdened by the need to prove herself. She performed with stillness — and audiences felt that she was no longer acting, but simply being. At 80, she took up watercolor painting. She painted flowers from her garden, old hats from her youth, faces she once glimpsed on the London Underground. Each painting was a memory made visible. Now, at 95, she writes letters by hand. She bakes rye bread. She breathes deeply each morning. She cherishes laughter but no longer seeks to make anyone laugh. The quiet is her dearest companion. And with that quiet came her message to us all: Growing older is not the closing act. It can be the most exquisite chapter — if you let yourself bloom again. Let these years be your treasure years. You don’t need fame. You don’t need perfection. You only need to show up — fully — for the life that is still yours. With love and gentleness, — Patricia Routledge

We celebrated our long-serving staff with two special award ceremonies recognising colleagues who’ve worked at our Trust for 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years. Staff enjoyed the events while celebrating a combined 7,885 years of service at our hospitals. bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/news/celebrati…

*One month before her 95th birthday, Patricia Routledge wrote something that still gently echoes:* **“I’ll be turning 95 this coming Monday. In my younger years, I was often filled with worry — worry that I wasn’t quite good enough, that no one would cast me again, that I wouldn’t live up to my mother’s hopes. But these days begin in peace, and end in gratitude.”** My life didn’t quite take shape until my forties. I had worked steadily — on provincial stages, in radio plays, in West End productions — but I often felt adrift, as though I was searching for a home within myself that I hadn’t quite found. At 50, I accepted a television role that many would later associate me with — Hyacinth Bucket, of Keeping Up Appearances. I thought it would be a small part in a little series. I never imagined that it would take me into people’s living rooms and hearts around the world. And truthfully, that role taught me to accept my own quirks. It healed something in me. At 60, I began learning Italian — not for work, but so I could sing opera in its native language. I also learned how to live alone without feeling lonely. I read poetry aloud each evening, not to perfect my diction, but to quiet my soul. At 70, I returned to the Shakespearean stage — something I once believed I had aged out of. But this time, I had nothing to prove. I stood on those boards with stillness, and audiences felt that. I was no longer performing. I was simply being. At 80, I took up watercolor painting. I painted flowers from my garden, old hats from my youth, and faces I remembered from the London Underground. Each painting was a quiet memory made visible. Now, at 95, I write letters by hand. I’m learning to bake rye bread. I still breathe deeply every morning. I still adore laughter — though I no longer try to make anyone laugh. I love the quiet more than ever. **I’m writing this to tell you something simple:** **Growing older is not the closing act. It can be the most exquisite chapter — if you let yourself bloom again.** Let these years ahead be your *treasure years*. You don’t need to be famous. You don’t need to be flawless. You only need to show up — fully — for the life that is still yours. *With love and gentleness,* — Patricia Routledge

Queen's and King George Hospitals offer teens 'lifechanging' jobs | Romford Recorder 👏👏 ⁦@BHRUT_NHS⁩ ⁦@bhr_CareerMaps⁩ ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/25304141.…

❤️❤️ always … @bhr_CareerMaps @BHRUT_NHS 👏👏

20 years ago, Priyanka Hinton survived a life-threatening brain injury thanks to the amazing teams at King George & Queen’s Hospitals. Now she’s giving back💛 On 18 May, she’s hosting Coffee to Celebrate - raising funds for our ICU teams. 👉Donate here: justgiving.com/page/priyanka-…

As the largest professional group in our workforce, #teamCNO nursing and midwifery colleagues are uniquely placed to say what’s needed to transform the NHS. Share your priorities for change by 5pm on Monday and help finalise the 10 Year Health Plan: change.nhs.uk/en-GB/projects…

With the Easter bank holiday approaching, make sure you order your repeat prescription in advance. To find out how to do this, visit nhs.uk/nhs-services/p…

As a black man with a father who died of prostate cancer, Steve McQueen had a greater than one in two chance of getting it. And sure enough he did. The great film director/artist talks to me (with his specialist & surgeon) about his mission to save lives. theguardian.com/culture/2025/a…

The Sydney retirees fossicking in bins to pay the bills theguardian.com/australia-news…

We welcomed MPs @AndrewRosindell and Mark Francois to Queen’s Hospital to see how we're stepping up to provide stroke care. Read more here: bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/news/mps-inspi…

Proud of the journey my local trust has been on - from ‘troubled trust’ to fastest improving and doing nationally leading work. A great example of how brilliant leadership empowers the frontline to deliver for patients. Staff there are full of pride and ambition to go further!

Todays brain injury education group 🧠🏥

Health Secretary @wesstreeting has been praising the progress we’ve made in recent years. Here's a flavour of some of our improvements.

Congratulations To Ana Victoria, The World’s First Lawyer With Down Syndrome 🙌