The HPWA: October 2017

Sunday 1 October 2017

Hospital Porter dies at Grenfell

One of the victims of the fire at Grenfell Tower has been confirmed as a hospital porter. Abdulaziz El Wahabi served at the University College Hospital in London. The son of a hospital porter, he entered the profession in his father's footsteps. His bother-in-law said of him: "You have to have a sense of humour to work in the NHS. He never complained, he got on with the job. Being a porter, you're someone who goes to the operating theatre, to X-ray. It's a very important job; you just don't get well paid for it." He died in his home on the 21st floor along with his wife Faouzia and their three children; Yasin, aged 20; Nur Huda aged 15; and Mehdi, aged 8. I salute the memory of my EP&DBP. Rest in peace, Abdulaziz. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/Grenfell_21st_floor.

See here for background: http://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/grenfell-tower-fire.html.

What is the HPWA

The Hospital Porters’ Welfare Association is a new charity and support community established to provide care and support for the approximately 9000 serving Hospital Porters in the UK and the even greater number of retired and former Hospital Porters. Today thousands of Hospital Porters and ex-Hospital Porters live under the pressure of the trauma sometimes involved in their duties; and also poverty, isolation, indignity and social structural violence leading to suffering, a poor quality of life and increasing mental and physical health problems stemming from their sacrifice to the Hospital Portering Service, the National Health Service and private health practices; and the patients whom they play such a vital part in caring for. Our mission is to build a better present and future for Hospital Porters across Britain and eventually throughout the world by giving financial support, counseling and comradeship. In doing so we hope to also raise the public profile of Hospital Portering and increase awareness of this noble profession.