Artwork donated to newly named Florence Nightingale Community Hospital
A piece of artwork representing Florence Nightingale was presented to staff at UHDB on Friday 10 December, by Derby City Council and Sculpture Works.
Karen Hill, Senior Nurse, Paul Brooks Director of Patient Experience, Estates and Facilities and Laura Waters, Head of Arts from UHDB were joined by Councillor Steve Hassall and artist Denis O’Connor from Sculpture Works for the handover at the recently renamed Florence Nightingale Community Hospital.
Florence Nightingale Community Hospital provides rehabilitation and intermediate care, inpatient facilities and some outpatient services to patients. Florence Nightingale Community Hospital is home to 60 departments and 700 staff and treats around 184,000 patients each year.
A duplicate of the artwork is one of 27 pieces already situated on the A52 foot and cycle bridge linking Chaddesden to the Wyvern and Pride Park.
The panels, representing Derby’s innovation, specialisms, crafts, and individualism, were installed to celebrate the city’s past, present, and future, as well as its industrial, cultural, and sporting communities.
Councillor Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation & Strategic Planning & Transport said:
“Earlier this year we marked the opening of the A52 footbridge by unveiling an art installation that celebrates the DNA of Derby. Florence Nightingale is a perfect example of Derby’s history of innovation and specialisms, and so it was right that we honoured her legacy with a panel on the bridge.
Her pioneering work inspired nurses in the 19th Century and still does today, so it is fantastic that we’ve now been able to present a duplicate of that panel to the recently named Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, especially considering the immense efforts of our NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Karen Hill, Lead Nurse for Professional Standards at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to receive the piece of artwork commemorating the legacy of Florence Nightingale. Florence has got significant connections to Derbyshire and in particular to the Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, which we renamed earlier this year. This artwork will be visible for everyone to see; however they access the hospital, and will promote the new name to the communities of Derby and Derbyshire
“Florence Nightingale’s legacy has been instrumental in nurse training for over 100 years, particularly regarding activities around infection control, as well as educating and developing future nurses. On behalf of Cathy Winfield, Chief Executive Nurse, I’m very happy to accept this stunning piece of artwork to display here at the hospital.”
Denis O’Connor, Sculpture Works, added:
“The Florence Nightingale Panel is an iconic image and was commissioned originally as part of a series of 27 individual panels which make reference to the social, cultural, industrial and sporting DNA of the city of Derby. The design of the panel and its quotation outlines the importance of the work undertaken by Florence Nightingale, and her association with Derbyshire
“I felt it was appropriate that the panel contributed to the importance of the arts well-being strategy within the Florence Nightingale Community Hospital.”