How much did London NHS trusts spend on signs during the pandemic?

Two London NHS trusts spent a combined total of £345,142.41 on colourful signs as part of a recruitment and staff recognition campaign.

What was the context of this NHS sign spending?

The nearly £350,000 was spent on decorative signs while over 1,600 patients died with Covid in the trusts' hospitals during the pandemic.

What else could the money spent on NHS signs have funded?

The £345,000 cost of the signs was equivalent to the price of 18 life-saving ventilators for Covid patients.

Home / Health / NHS Trusts Spent £350K on Signs Amid Pandemic Deaths

NHS Trusts Spent £350K on Signs Amid Pandemic Deaths

30 Jan

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Summary

Two London NHS trusts spent £345,142 on decorative signs.
The spending occurred while over 1,600 Covid patients died.
Signs could have funded 18 life-saving ventilators.

NHS Trusts Spent £350K on Signs Amid Pandemic Deaths

Two London NHS trusts incurred expenses totaling £345,142.41 on decorative signage during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The spending was revealed through a Freedom of Information request and occurred while over 1,600 patients succumbed to the virus at King's College Trust hospitals between the pandemic's start and March 2023.

The "Big Thank You" campaign, designed to recognize staff dedication and aid recruitment, saw extensive signage installed along Denmark Hill and within multiple hospital sites. This substantial sum could have alternatively funded approximately 18 ventilators, crucial equipment for treating severe COVID-19 cases.

Critics describe the expenditure as a shocking example of warped priorities, with taxpayers' money allocated to "vanity projects" while frontline services were strained and lives were lost. The trusts defended the spending, citing its positive impact on staff morale and recruitment efforts, noting the campaign also won awards.