The whole of the UK is being urged to get behind a campaign to help the NHS reach number one in the charts this Christmas while supporting healthcare charities at the same time.

“A Bridge Over You” performed by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust’s choir celebrates the work of NHS staff across the country. The choir is made up entirely of NHS staff including nurses, doctors, physios, midwives, porters and administrators.

The choir’s single has gained widespread support and is being backed by senior NHS leaders including NHS England’s Medical Director Bruce Keogh and Chief Nurse Jane Cummings.

Fresh from a performance today outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London Caroline Harbord, Senior Physiotherapist in Pulmonary Rehabilitation said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be so close to achieving Christmas number one, none of us can believe it – it’s surreal. I’m so proud to work for the NHS, and the NHS has always been there for me and my family when we have needed it. When I was 40, I was diagnosed with advanced Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of cancer. I was treated at University Hospital Lewisham and the treatment really could not have been better.

“Good treatment isn’t just about getting the drugs you need. As a patient, you have to trust the people caring for you. When I was treated for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, I knew I could trust all the staff 100 per cent: their compassion and empathy was truly exceptional, and made a huge difference to me.

“I have now been in remission for nine and a half years. I have just had my 50th birthday and feel so lucky to have made it to this milestone. There is nothing like the NHS in the world: we are so fortunate in this country.”

Chidi Ejimofo A&E Consultant at University Lewisham Hospital has been with the choir since it began in 2012. He said: “The NHS is full of amazing staff who go the extra mile everyday: it is about so much more than the front line doctors and nurses. This song celebrates the work of all the unsung heroes in the NHS, whose amazing work is often taken for granted.”

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s Medical Director said:  “This song is more than just a bid to get number 1 this Christmas- it’s a reflection of what the NHS is and does for everyone in this country. The NHS is there for us from the moment we are born and it takes care of us and our family and friends when they need it most. By buying this song people aren’t just showing their support for the choir and charities involved but for the NHS as a whole.”

Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “Christmas can be a difficult time for many people, but this song shows the important focus on care and compassion that the teams at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust will be giving, along with NHS staff across the country. I support the bid to reach number one and encourage others to do so too.”

Caroline Alexander, Regional Chief Nurse, NHS England (London) said “What a beautiful song, celebrating the many ways that staff of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and NHS workers everywhere make a difference to patients’ lives. On behalf of NHS England (London), I thank each and every one of them.  At this special time of year, I call on the capital to support their bid to reach Christmas number one – and help some very worthy healthcare charities at the same time.”

All proceeds from the song will be shared between healthcare charities, including Carers UK and Mind – You can download the song with a percentage also being distributed to Samh (Scotland) and Niamh (Northern Ireland).

The single is available to download on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play; search for ‘A Bridge Over You’ by the NHS Choir, or view instructions on how to download it (and please note that the song is only available by download; it cannot be purchased in the shops).