Renfrewshire sepsis survivor pens heartfelt open letter to NHS heroes
A quadruple amputee has issued a powerful thank you letter to the NHS 12 years after doctors not only saved her life but 'helped her live it joyfully'.
Dr Corrine Hutton MBE, best known as Cor, is the founder of Paisley amputee charity Finding Your Feet and she has released an emotional open letter thanking the NHS for over a decade of life-saving support.
Her care journey has included surviving sepsis in 2013 and undergoing a double hand transplant in 2019.
The letter marks twelve years since Cor was given just a five per cent chance of survival after contracting sepsis. It reflects on the care she's received through multiple surgeries, kidney complications, lung loss, and transplant recovery ‚ and the people behind it all.
Timed to coincide with Thank You Day on Sunday, July 7, the letter is a deeply personal expression of gratitude from Cor, one of the UK's most recognised advocates for people affected by amputation or limb absence.
In the open letter to the NHS, the Lochwinnoch mum says: 'The NHS didn't just save my life. You helped me live it — fully, joyfully, and on my own terms.
'I know the NHS isn't perfect but I also know how hard your job is. I've seen it. I've felt it. The pressure. The repetition. The emotional weight of showing up for people who are scared, angry or broken and still doing it with compassion. Every time I thought I'd reached the end, you gave me another beginning.'
Since her first operation in 2013, Cor has made it her mission to help amputees and has played her part in Renfrewshire. Her Finding Your Feet charity has been a lifeline for people across Scotland, offering compassion at what is often the loneliest and most frightening time for amputees. Her tireless fundraising, including some incredible physical challenges, means the charity has endured throughout a global pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.
Cor's letter is also accompanied by a series of short videos and an invitation to the public to share their own messages of thanks to anyone who's made a difference using the hashtag #WithAllMyHeart.
And on why she wrote the letter, the Renfrewshire hero went on to say: 'I think what made me want to write the letter is that the NHS gets a bit of stick.
'I know they're under a lot of pressure. But the service I've had, the care that I've had from the NHS has just been absolutely stunning, right from when I had my sepsis, onto the effects of the sepsis, my amputations, the nursing staff, the consultants that I've had, absolutely brilliant. So, so many people [were] going out their way [to help]. I'm talking about the junior medical staff that washed my hair and stuck a lipstick on me when I needed it, and the senior consultants that are there to answer a question for me, and they're still caring for me.
'I just want to tell the NHS that I'm grateful. I want to say thank you to each and every one of them that's helped me over the years, no matter what your position.
'I couldn't have done it without you. I just honestly wouldn't be here without the NHS. Thank you.'
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At the same time over a decade of real terms funding cuts under the Tories means the £3 billion NHS dental budget for England is only enough to treat around half of the population. Devon worst 'Dental Desert' Data from 700,000 participants in last year's GP Patient Survey showed it is hardest to get an NHS dentist appointment in South West England. Questions on dentistry focused on respondents who had attempted to get an NHS dental appointment in the last two years suggests Devon may be one of the country's worst dentistry deserts. Survey responses were grouped by regional Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) which include NHS bodies, local councils and voluntary organisations. The One Devon ICB is responsible for the health of the population in the county. Among people who were already in with an NHS dentist, Devon saw just 72% of people successfully get an appointment. In the wider South West region this was 74% while for England as a whole it was 84%. Dentists for All campaign Save NHS Dentistry petition Sign our petition to save NHS dentistry and make it fit for the 21st century Our 3 demands Everyone should have access to an NHS dentist More than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care last year – more than 1 in 4 adults in England. At the same time 90% of dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients. Data from the House of Commons Library showed 40% of children didn't have their recommended annual check-up last year. Restore funding for dental services and recruit more NHS dentists The UK spends the smallest proportion of its heath budget on dental care of any European nation. Government spending on dental services in England was cut by a quarter in real terms between 2010 and 2020. The number of NHS dentists is down by more than 500 to 24,151 since the pandemic. Change the contracts A Parliamentary report by the Health Select Committee has branded the current NHS dentists' contracts as 'not fit for purpose' and described the state of the service as "unacceptable in the 21st century". The system effectively sets quotas on the maximum number of NHS patients a dentist can see as it caps the number of procedures they can perform each year. Dentists also get paid the same for delivering three or 20 fillings, often leaving them out of pocket. The system should be changed so it enables dentists to treat on the basis of patient need. Have you had to resort to drastic measures because you couldn't access an NHS dentist? Are you a parent struggling to get an appointment for a child? Email or call 0800 282591 Of those who attempted to get an appointment at a practice they had not been seen at before, only 14% were successful in Devon. This compared to 19% in the South West region and 33% as the average for England. 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