We are delighted that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have shared today a Christmas message with all NHS staff, in their role as Joint Royal Patrons of NHS Charities Together.

In the letter, which was distributed via the network of NHS Charities associated with every NHS Trust and Health Board in the UK, the Duke and Duchess thank everyone in the NHS for their ongoing work to care for patients during Covid-19 and in delivering the vaccine booster campaign.

The message says: “The dedication and commitment of all NHS staff has been awe-inspiring.  From frontline nurses, doctors, and porters to those behind the scenes; you have carried on despite the hardship, despite exhaustion and long hours, and despite the emotional toll this pandemic has exacted. You have cared for incredibly sick patients and their families, in circumstances made all the more challenging by this virus, and your unending compassion has meant so much in the darkest moments.”

“And you have done it all by putting yourselves at risk and sacrificing time with your own friends and loved ones. And now, as we approach Christmas, you are stepping up once more with the vaccine booster campaign. We know we speak for the entire nation when we say thank you.”

NHS Charities Together is the national charity caring for the NHS through the network of over 230 NHS charities across the UK. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge became Joint Royal Patrons for the charity in December 2020.

The Christmas message in full:

To everyone in the NHS,

As we approach the end of yet another immensely challenging year for the whole NHS family, we wanted to write to all those at the forefront of the fight against COVID- 19 to express our sincere thanks for everything that you have done and continue to do.

The dedication and commitment of all NHS staff has been awe-inspiring. From frontline nurses, doctors, and porters to those behind the scenes; you have carried on despite the hardship, despite exhaustion and long hours, and despite the emotional toll this pandemic has exacted. You have cared for incredibly sick patients and their families, in circumstances made all the more challenging by this virus, and your unending compassion has meant so much in the darkest moments.

And you have done it all by putting yourselves at risk and sacrificing time with your own friends and loved ones. And now, as we approach Christmas, you are facing an incredibly busy winter and stepping up once more with the vaccine booster campaign. We know we speak for the entire nation when we say thank you.

As Joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, we are so pleased to see just how much the public continue to support the NHS across the United Kingdom. While words on paper are only a small gesture, we wanted to express our enormous thanks on behalf of a grateful nation.

None of us will forget what everyday heroes in the NHS do each day to keep us safe. NHS Charities across the UK will continue to be there to support you in 2022.

We wish you a very happy Christmas, and all the best for a better year ahead.