Stockbridge GP surgery displays rainbows in windows to spread kindness

The rainbow display was made by staff.

A Stockbridge GP surgery has put up a rainbow display in the window in order to spread positivity and kindness in the local area during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Green Practice on India Place has put a display of coloured paper cut-outs of hands in the window.

“We wanted to spread some kindness and brighten up Stockbridge,” said admin worker Sophie Clyde.

Staff at the Green Practice: Dr Janet Sayers, Practice Manager Russel Sanders, Dr Morag Reid, Dr Jenny Lamb and Dr Susan Martin.

“And we also wanted to support the NHS at the moment, as we are a GP practice.”

The current display is on the first floor of the building, which houses reception.

It will be added to in the coming weeks to include windows on the first floor, which is for nurses, and the ground floor, for district nurses.

Rainbows will soon be put up in the ground and second floors as well.

The first floor will host a rainbow display of the world with people on it, while the ground floor will have coloured plastic to create a stained glass effect, along with the message to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

“Everyone in the building wanted to join in,” said Ms Clyde, who created the current display along with the other admin staff as a socially-distant crafting activity on their lunchbreak.

The cut-outs of hands are also a nod to the idea of ‘lending a hand’ to the NHS, and to PPE and the wearing of gloves.

The rainbow colours were put in the window on Tuesday.

“It’s about togetherness as well, as the hands are joined together,” said Ms Clyde.

The display is one of many in the Stockbridge area, with many businesses on Deanhaugh Street showing rainbow colours, as well as the pharmacy on India Place.

There have been many positive reactions to the GP surgery’s display, both in person and on social media.

“Little kids had seen them when we were putting them up, they were getting really excited, it was really cute,” said Ms Clyde.

“Rainbows are a great way of giving a wee bit of cheer, and I do admire your decorations, some very arty folks about,” one person commented on the photos shared on Facebook.

While routine appointments have been cancelled, there are still patients coming into the practice for things like dressing changes and blood tests.

Most staff are still working at the surgery, with doctors taking triage calls via telephone.

“The admin staff have been busy cheering us all up,” said Dr Susie Martin, who also works at the practice.

“I was out on a visit and they were there when I came back, it cheered me right up.”

“We have a great team here, and the patients know the staff well. Patients have been very understanding and supportive.”

Dr Martin said the display also shows passers-by that the practice is still ‘open for business’, albeit remotely in most cases.

“We’re still seeing people, and we’re trying to take some of the load away from hospitals so they can focus on Covid-19,” she said.

Dr Martin added that the crafting involved in creating the display is just one of the ways staff are being encouraged to look after their welfare.

“We have a socially distant huddle at lunchtime and practise mindfullness to keep staff in a good place at this time,” she said.