The NHS has been awarded the George Cross by Her Majesty The Queen in recognition of the dedicated service of healthcare workers that includes their ‘courage, compassion and dedication’ during the COVID-19 pandemic

The George Cross, which is given in recognition of ‘acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger’, has only been bestowed to a collective group of people twice before, most recently in 1999.

May Parsons, the nurse who administered the first COVID-19 vaccination in the world, joined NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard to attend the presentation on 12 July – exactly one week after the NHS’s birthday.

The pair were joined by Pritchard’s counterparts, Caroline Lamb from NHS Scotland and Judith Paget from NHS Wales, along with Peter May, permanent secretary at the Department of Health and chief executive of Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the award, Parsons said: “Vaccinating Maggie [Keenan] with the first approved COVID-19 vaccine was a wonderful moment that I am so proud of – but that was only the beginning. That moment kick-started the biggest and fastest vaccination programme in our history. It prevented hospital admissions, it got the country back to normal and it saved lives.

“All of the staff in hospitals and our communities went above and beyond during the pandemic to look after patients despite the risks the virus posed to themselves. Across health and care, staff sacrificed so much to look after those in need. The George Cross is a fitting tribute to them all.”

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “The NHS went into the pandemic with severe staff shortages, and yet hardworking health and care staff rose to the challenge of responding to the unprecedented demands of the prolonged global pandemic. Many staff paid the ultimate sacrifice, tragically losing their lives as a result of direct exposure to the virus while they were caring for those who had fallen ill.”

A personal handwritten message from The Queen in support of the Award, reads: ‘...This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations. Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service. You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.’

The recipients of the George Cross, awarded by The Queen, are chosen on the advice of the George Cross Committee and the Prime Minister.

Dominic Troulan, a retired British Army officer and former Royal Marine was the most recent individual recipient of the George Cross on 16 June 2017 for his actions during the 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya.

The George Cross was first bestowed collectively to the people of Malta on 15 April 1942 by King George VI in recognition of ‘the fortitude displayed by the island’s inhabitants during sustained and devastating enemy bombardments during the Second World War. A handwritten message was sent from King George VI to General Sir William Dobbie, the governor of Malta, to announce the Award, with the message reading: ‘To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.’

The second, and most recent, group award was given to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Northern Ireland’s police force between 1922 and 2001, on 23 November 1999 in recognition of ‘the collective and sustained bravery of the force’, including the families of those serving. The George Cross was presented by The Queen to Constable Paul Slaine, who accepted it on behalf of the RUC, on 12 April 2000 at a ceremony at Hillsborough Castle.