he Queen hopes to personally hand over the George Cross to the NHS at a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Accompanied by the Prince of WalesThe monarch will welcome the chief executives of the National Health Services of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and a frontline worker from each of the home countries.
Buckingham Palace said the monarch, who has persistent mobility problems, plans to attend the public but a final decision will be made on the day.
The 96-year-old head of state, accompanied by Charles, will present the award and meet key figures.
The event will be attended by May Parsons, the nurse who delivered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials to Maggie Keenan on December 8, 2020.
The Queen awarded the NHS the prestigious Courage Award a year ago for its “courage, compassion and dedication” during the pandemic and for the more than 70 years since its founding.
The George Cross was instituted by her father George VI in September 1940 during the height of the Blitz.
It is awarded in recognition of “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger” and recognizes actions by civilians and military personnel who are not in the face of the enemy.
The awarding of the George Cross by the Queen is on the advice of the George Cross Committee and the Prime Minister, and this is only the third time it has been awarded to a collective body, country or organization, rather than to an individual. †
In her message to Windsor Castle newspaper last July, on the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the NHS, the Queen wrote: “It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.
“This award recognizes all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four countries.
“For more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication by demonstrating the highest standards of public service.
“You have our lasting thanks and sincere appreciation.”
Amanda Pritchard, CEO of NHS England, said she was honored to attend on behalf of NHS workers.
“Under the toughest conditions during the pandemic, our employees have responded fantastically,” she said.
They cared for more than 750,000 people with Covid-19 in hospitals and many more in the community, and designed and delivered the largest and most successful NHS vaccination program in history, saving hundreds of thousands of lives, they added.
In 1942 the George Cross was awarded to Malta by George VI, in recognition of the islanders’ fortitude during enemy bombing raids in World War II.
And in 1999, the Queen awarded the George Cross to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland, in recognition of the bravery of the force, including the families of those who served.
The most recent recipient of the George Cross is Dominic Troulan, a retired British Army officer and former Royal Marine.
Mr Troulan was awarded the George Cross in June 2017 for his actions during the 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping center in Nairobi, Kenya.