Kate says ‘extraordinary’ efforts of frontline workers will see stature rise

The Duchess of Cambridge has said the “extraordinary job” NHS staff and other frontline workers are doing will “dramatically change” how we value them in the future.

Kate said the higher status of doctors, nurses, care home workers, and others will be “one of the main positives” to come out of the coronavirus crisis.

Her comments came during an interview with the BBC, and William offered advice about maintaining good mental health saying “staying connected, staying positive and being able to talk to friends and family is so crucial”.

When the duchess was asked whether the Covid-19 outbreak would fundamentally change who we are and what we value, she replied: “Yes absolutely.

“I think what we’re seeing now is the NHS and the frontline workers are doing the most extraordinary job and that’s really come to the forefront in the last few weeks.

“And I think it’s going to dramatically change how we all value and see our frontline workers and I think that is one of the main positives that you can take from this.

“They do an extraordinary job, it goes unrecognised daily and now I think all of us as a nation can really see how hard they work and how vital their work is.”

The Cambridges have provided the narration for a video which will highlight new advice on Public Health England’s (PHE) Every Mind Matters website.

In the video, due to be released on Monday – which is aimed at supporting the country’s mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak, the couple will tell the nation “we’re in this together”.

Speaking about what can help people cope with the lockdown, William told the BBC: “I think again staying connected, staying positive and being able to talk to friends and family is so crucial and having just some tips and some ideas as to how to tackle some of these strange feelings and difficult circumstances we’re finding ourselves in is really important, just to nudge us through these next few weeks.”

The duke worked as an air ambulance helicopter pilot and has talked in the past about the importance of emergency service workers off-loading their work experiences to preserve good mental health.

He spoke about similar concerns for NHS staff looking after critically ill Covid-19 patients.

He said: “…I think they take away that pain and that sometimes that fear and loneliness that these patients have to go through, they’re the ones who absorb that and take it home to their families.

“And I think again, I’ve spoken about the attrition and the daily attrition rate of that happening to somebody is not normal and we’re not super human any of us, so to be able to manage those emotions and that feeling is going to take some time after all this is over as well.”