COVID's Hidden Scars

Episode will release on the 6th November 2026

We clapped for NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. But what happened to the nurses who faced its most difficult moments, and how are they coping years later?

From caring for seriously ill patients to watching people die without their families beside them, critical care nurses faced enormous emotional pressure during the pandemic. For many, these experiences left lasting psychological scars.

In this podcast, University of Sheffield researcher Dr Martyn Griffin joins artists, James Croft and Sally Ann Spencer-Grey to discuss COVID's Hidden Scars, an immersive art installation at Festival of the Mind 2026 exploring the impact of the pandemic on critical care nurses' mental health and wellbeing.

Drawing on six years of research, including interviews with nurses during and after the pandemic, the project explores moral injury, the emotional distress people can experience when they're unable to provide the care they believe is right.

Through a recreated hospital bed, a handcrafted quilt, embroidered curtains, a colourful mural and filmed performances, the installation brings nurses' personal experiences to life. The artists discuss how they turned these difficult stories into artwork, revealing the challenges nurses faced and the different ways they've tried to recover.

Listen to discover the lasting impact of COVID-19 on NHS nurses, why many felt forgotten after the public applause faded, and what their experiences can teach us about supporting healthcare workers' mental health.