Time capsule containing items remembering the Covid pandemic is buried in the grounds of Christchurch Hospital

A COVID time capsule has been buried in the grounds of Christchurch Hospital and will be opened on the 100th anniversary of the NHS on 5th July 2048.

Special services were held to mark the occasion, attended by chief nursing officer for England Dame Ruth May, Bournemouth Universities deputy head of department of nursing science Dr Michele Board, and BCP chair Cllr Lesley Dedman.

Items in the capsule were chosen by hospital staff, and include a special book of reflections with a number of photos and recollections from those working in the NHS at the time.

Other items include personal protective equipment worn at the height of the pandemic, lateral flow tests and Covid vaccines.

There are also photos and videos which were made at the time of lockdown to help staff and patients, along with knitted hearts given to the loved ones of those in intensive care, or at the end of their lives.

The capsule site was marked by a special memorial stone, and staff can visit it to reflect on the pandemic and how it changed the NHS.

Dame Ruth May said: “It’s important that we continue to reflect on the lasting impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had. I will remain forever proud of our nursing and midwifery workforce, and all our colleagues across the NHS, for the extraordinary contribution they made during this time.”

Siobhan Harrington, chief executive of University Hospitals Dorset, added: “Covid was a challenge, a test of our skills, our courage, and our ability to provide care under the most extraordinary circumstances.

“And it was a challenge we rose to despite every obstacle thrown in our path, and despite the very personal toll it was taking on everybody in our UHD family.

“I hope these capsules and memorial stones give us all a time and space to pause, reflect and mark this moment in history.”

Sue Doheny, NHS England South West chief nursing officer, said: “It was a privilege to be invited to attend the Covid time capsule event.

“It is four years since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and these services marked a poignant moment in history. They also provided time to reflect on how the pandemic changed working for the NHS family, and the personal sadness, loss and impact it had on their own lives, those of their families, their loved ones and their community.”