Humans of the Pandemic
Portraits & thoughts from 67 staff at NHS George Eliot Hospital during the COVID-19 first wave
Humans of the Pandemic features portrait photographs of 67 staff members at NHS George Eliot Hospital, accompanied by their reflections on caring for patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (May to August 2020).
As a photographer and a medical student, it’s been fascinating to meet so many individuals, hear their stories, and capture them in their unique work environments. This experience has been not only a powerful creative endeavour but also the best education in understanding how a hospital operates and the people I will work alongside in the future.
A curated selection of these portraits now hangs on the walls of George Eliot Hospital, serving as a reminder to patients and visitors of the unwavering dedication of the hospital staff who supported them through the most difficult times and continue to do so today.
This project highlights a broad range of roles, including doctors, nurses, domestic staff, maternity care, pathology, pharmacy, physiotherapy, surgery, and mortuary services, among others. Due to its size, encompassing over 120 photographs, the project has been divided into three parts to fully showcase the depth and scale of these stories.
“I felt very anxious to begin with. Wearing full PPE is very draining and tiring, especially when it's constant. But as a multidisciplinary team we worked together and supported each other.”
— JULIE, OPERATING DEPARTMENT PRACTITIONER
The Project
Between April and August 2020, while balancing shifts on the respiratory ward at George Eliot Hospital and my medical studies, I had the privilege of meeting and photographing these inspiring individuals.
I asked each participant for a portrait as they were, with the option to briefly reveal their face if possible. The varying PPE seen in the portraits reflects the evolving guidance and different workplaces at the time they were taken. Many of these remarkable people also kindly shared their thoughts, adding powerful context to each image.
As an underwater photographer, my waterproof camera housing was perfect for decontaminating between locations, which helped me gain the trust and support of the Infection Control team.
What began as a way to share my passion for photography with my colleagues on Elizabeth Ward (the COVID-positive unit) soon snowballed into a labor of love. I set out to meet, photograph, and recognize every role that adapted, changed, or intensified to meet the demands of COVID-19 at an NHS district general hospital.
I wanted to show that it wasn’t just the ICU and A&E departments in major trauma centers that were deeply affected. My goal was to photograph people in their natural environment, capturing them as they worked rather than pulling them into a studio. Along the way, I discovered more roles than I ever anticipated and only had to stop when my studies took priority. These portraits will soon take pride of place on the walls of George Eliot Hospital.
As a medical student, this project has given me an invaluable understanding of how a hospital operates and who I’ll soon work alongside. And as a photographer, it’s been an honor to meet and document such incredible people. I hope this gallery provides some recognition to the vast team, roles, and humanity that make up the NHS.
“We welcomed Matt into the hospital and are really grateful for his professional support during the COVID pandemic. His and his colleagues’ efforts helped us get through a very challenging time. His portraits capture the unity, hard work and dedication of all our staff and act as a tribute to their efforts. I’m proud to work with all of them.”
- DR CATHERINE FREE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF GEORGE ELIOT HOSPITAL
A small selection of “Humans of the Pandemic” portraits now adorn the walls of George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton, for years to come.