Peterborough photographer releases book showcasing 40 years of the NHS

Chris Porsz (67), known as the Paramedic Paparazzo, will be a familiar name to many readers as he has been a regular contributor to the Peterborough Telegraph for many years. His projects have often been featured and most recently the PT has helped him with his reunions project, where he has sought out subjects of his photos, taken in the 1980s, in order to recreate them 40 years on.

Amatuer photographer Chris became a hospital porter in 1974 and a paramedic in 1988 and has spent most of his days off in that time accompanying colleagues to capture patients’ journeys from the 999 call to the hospital.

His collection of more than 350 candid photos offer a unique behind-the-scenes view of the NHS from the 1980s, with nurses neatly dressed in blue gingham and frilly hats and the incredible changes the organisation and hospitals have gone through since, with advances in medicine and technology and now masked doctors dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the main things the images demonstrate is that the camaraderie has remained the same and this can be seen on the range of photos taken at three hospitals in the city - Peterborough District Hospital, Edith Cavell Hospital and Peterborough City Hospital.

Chris said: “Head staff at the hospital knew I enjoyed photography so invited me to document what goes on behind the scenes over the years.

“There have been huge changes in the NHS during the decades and it’s fascinating to look back at the pictures now and see how different it used to be.”

“Some of the biggest changes have been in the A&E department, where victims of car crashes were common in the 80s. Before seat belt laws were introduced, and helmets for motorcyclists, the trauma was horrendous.

“I remember going along a line of six victims on trolleys with a bucket and sponge to wipe the blood away so that the nurses and doctors could see the wounds. They would then spend hours picking out the glass and suturing.

“A&E staff would consist of a doctor, sister, staff nurse, auxiliary nurse, cleaner and radiographer, who was on call if needed. The doctor would go to bed when it got quieter and a consultant called in from home if needed. Staff are non-stop and more stressed now trying to keep up with the demand.

“It’s rare to see such carnage now, but the A&E department is busier than ever as fortunately people are living longer with better treatments but with complex needs and conditions and there is an increasing elderly population.”

Another big change Chris has noticed has been how technology, such as CT and MRI scans as well as digital X-rays, has impacted how the hospital operates.

He added: “In the past, one radiographer would deal with half a dozen road traffic victims and have to process the film, before they could see the injuries. Now it is digital and x-ray results are instant, all these things make a huge difference.

“We all have very fond memories of the old hospital. It was a bit like a village and a lot smaller so you quickly got to know everyone and we all had a lot of time for each other.

“Now the hospital is quite anonymous, with big long corridors and everyone keeps to their own wards and offices, so it’s a very different atmosphere. It’s quite relentless for doctors and nurses now, with many working 12-hour shifts, but in the past there was more time to socialise.”

Chris’s book, Just Be Kind, costs £20 including postage and packing and can be ordered from www.chrisporsz.com. Part of the proceeds will go to Breast Cancer Research.

Below are a selection of the photos included in the book. They show Peterborough District Hospital (PDH) in the early 80s. PDH was built in continuous phases between 1960 and 1968 and finally closed in 2010, it was rebuilt on the Edith Cavell Campus, Bretton Gate as Peterborough City Hospital.