Why was NHS MILLION created?

For some time now, the NHS has been under the cosh. There are lots of reasons for this: financial pressures, negative press coverage, and being something of a football at a time of heightened political tensions. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore, morale amongst NHS staff has taken a dip and, unless checked, this downturn has the potential to damage the ability of the NHS to function brilliantly, and to perform at its best for its patients. 

NHS Million has been created in response to all of the above. It is a non-profit campaign with the aim of creating a ‘superteam’ of a million people who will love and cherish the NHS and want to celebrate everything that's great about it - even when the chips are down.

Why does it matter?

We know the NHS isn’t perfect, but it manages to do an awful lot with the limited resources it has. Our hope is that the sustained and unstinting support of a dedicated NHS superteam will give a real lift to staff and patients alike. 

NHS Million will also serve to open up lines of communication between NHS Trusts, officials, patients, staff, families, officials, and the media. Everyone, we know, wants good healthcare for themselves and their families.  

Is this an official NHS campaign?

No, this is not an official NHS campaign, though it is run by a team of NHS staff.

Who is behind it?

NHS Million was founded in 2016 by Joseph Blunden, an NHS employee who works with hospitals around England to improve the experience of patients and staff, and Dr Katharine Rogerson, a children’s doctor based in London. In 2020, they were joined by Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, an intensive care and air ambulance doctor in the south east.

The trio frequently work with a range of other NHS staff and patients to deliver important initiatives.

The views the team share via NHS Million are done so in a private capacity and do not reflect the views of their employers.