Learning disability nursing community’s ‘uplifting’ message to student nurses

Norfolk and Suffolk learning disability nurses have performed an uplifting song to the next generation of their profession.

Sue Bridges and Heidi McKay were among learning disability nurses (LDN) from across the country who joined forces to create the video to the song Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne.

The idea of the track was to encourage student nurses in training for the vital work they carry out each day.

The video also features many famous faces, including Sir Norman Lamb and acclaimed dancer Gary Avis MBE, as well as people as Norfolk residents with learning disabilities, their families and academics in the field.

As of 2018, there were 3,300 learning disability nurses working within the NHS, while many more work in social care and the independent sector.

Heidi said: “Student nurses are our next generation and are terribly important to us. It was great that we could come together to give back to our student nurses.

“You can keep watching and it makes me feel uplifted and so proud. It wasn’t about one person’s idea, this is a whole national collective.”

Sue said: “The message to keep holding on is a call to all of them to please keep holding and tells them they will make it through.”