The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Archive and Museum are recording the experiences of healthcare workers and of those close to them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has caused huge disruption and loss of life, and physicians and all healthcare workers have been at the forefront of protecting society. This period in time will be hugely important to researchers, policy-makers and historians in the future.

'Personally, I've been up and down a bit during this.'

Endocrinology consultant, New Forest 

We are collecting written responses, recorded interviews, photographs and objects from physicians, healthcare professionals, and their friends and families, to record their experiences of living and working through the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome responses from anyone in healthcare, at any stage of their career, and from anywhere in the world, and we are keen to hear from you no matter how much or how little you feel able to share with us.  

If you would like to share your experiences for the COVID-19 archive you can do so here or by emailing us on history@rcp.ac.uk. 
 

'I entered medicine in COVID times. I, so far, have never experienced a ward round as a doctor without gloves and aprons. Without PPE.'

FY1 Doctor, Bristol

Dr Ann Homer (left) in the scrubs she returned to wearing during the early stages of the pandemic.
 'They are just like pyjamas. The trust suddenly decided with covid  that we should all wear scrubs, even the consultants... Must have left one pair of scrubs in the toilet somewhere. Tried to get a replacement but by then they had run out altogether. So I had one pair and washed them each night and left them on the airer overnight. They are hot on the ward (bad material for post-menopausal women) and cold in the corridors and car park. Good pockets though.'

                                   Dr Sanjay Agrawal (right) wearing a full face respirator with a name  
tape stuck to it, to aid communication with colleagues in ITU.
It was 'very hot, uncomfortable, difficult to communicate  
through and physically very heavy'.

Click here to add your experiences to the archive 

'To have people protesting outside the doors of a hospital in which people were dying was something I never thought I'd see.'

Respiratory Medicine and Internal Medicine Consultant, London

The RCP also regularly carried out workforce impact surveys of its members during the pandemic, and highlighted members concerns to government and others. You can find more information about these surveys on the main RCP website.