This week, we reported on the local nurse who has earned national recognition for bringing combs and moisturiser for Afro-Caribbean patients to the NHS for the first time ever.
When we spoke to Ginny Wanjiro, who works in the Intensive Care Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital, she said she was ‘shocked’ to find no basic Afro-Caribbean products on her ward – or in any NHS hospital in the UK for that matter.
This is a fact that became noticeable during Covid, when families were not allowed to visit and it was all on nurses to provide patient care.
Ginny explained that some patients’ hair would become matted and they’d be forced to cut it off.
On the surface to some, this may not seem like a big issue. But to anyone who has ever been or had a loved one in the hospital, basic care is crucial to recovery.
Being able to have your hair brushed or your skin moisturised can make you feel more human at a time when you may feel at your lowest. For this pioneering move, Ginny was nominated for ‘Best Nurse’ in a national competition. As she graciously put it: “It’s not about winning, it’s about raising awareness and being heard.”
Since the NHS started and long before that, there have always been black patients – so frankly, it’s appalling it took this long to meet their basic needs.
The awards will be televised on Channel 4 on this evening (Sunday 24 September) from 6:30 pm – 8 pm and will be available online on All 4 shortly after.
St Thomas’ nurse brought Afro combs to the NHS for the first time ever