Children of NHS staff front #BeKind Campaign
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has launched the #BeKind campaign featuring children of Emergency Department staff to combat rising physical and verbal abuse towards healthcare workers.
The initiative, centred at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, showcases photographs of staff members’ children, including four-year-old Bella, daughter of ED Matron Michael Brennan.
Brennan, who has faced multiple assaults, said: “We are frontline staff who work incredibly hard. Those who work here should not have to tolerate violence of any kind.”
In 2024, one in seven NHS staff reported physical violence, with 1,435 incidents already recorded at the Trust in 2025 – nearly half in the Emergency Department.
Campaign artwork is displayed at the hospital entrance, waiting areas, and digital screens.
Head of Facilities Ian Oliver added: “Behind every uniform is a person, and behind every person is a family. Kindness costs nothing, but it means everything.”
