WE’VE all been thanking NHS staff in recent weeks for their Herculean effort during the coronavirus pandemic - and International Nurses Day is no different.

Today's usual celebratory day for our hospital heroes instead gave our frontline staff the chance to take a breath and truly appreciate how hard they are working.

Staff and directors at hospitals across Essex paid tribute to their colleagues, while MPs also expressed their gratitude.

International Nursing Day also marked the birthday of the founder of nursing, Florence Nightingale, and NHS staff paid tribute to her yesterday.

James Squires, a senior nurse and team leader at Basildon’s A&E department, took a step back from his duties to speak about Florence Nightingale and his colleagues.

He said: “With yesterday being the birthday of our founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale, we also marked yesterday to celebrate International Nurses Day.

“Although we continue our commitment and dedication to our patients during what has been classed as unprecedented times, we paused to reflect on the inspirational nurses from the past while recognising the nurses of today, who have also inspired individual nations across the globe.”

Ann French, who has helped develop the urology services at Southend University Hospital and was shortlisted for urology nurse of the year, added: “I celebrated with my colleagues and fellow nurses across Essex and the world by raising a large glass of something and shining a light from my window at 8.30pm, to mark the day and show my appreciation for all that nurses are doing to save and rebuild the lives of patients with coronavirus.”

Diane Sarkar, chief nursing officer at the mid and Essex NHS foundation, thanked her staff for their hard work, adding: “The NHS nurse of 2020 is much more than a caring presence at the patient’s bedside. Nursing is a career.

“The term reflects both commitment and dedication but also how the role has evolved over the last 20 to 30 years.

“We should recognise they are highly skilled clinical professionals, as well as the caring face of the NHS.”

Our MP’s have regularly been seen clapping outside their homes for the NHS every Thursday, and they have all come together again to pay tribute to nurses across South Essex.

Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West is grateful for all the work they’re doing. He said: “All of us owe them a great debt of gratitude for the work they do. They are angels and we thank them all.”

John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, James Duddridge, MP for Southend East, and Rebecca Harris, MP for Castle Point also thanked our hard working nurses.

Businesses and organisations joined forces to thank them, with Essex Mobile Welding, Marlborough Services in London, Polytech Powdercoaters of Wickford, Southend Council, and the Southend NHS Trust building a large rainbow outside Southend Hospital earlier this week.

All the businesses donated labour and materials for free.