Porters

According to the NHS Careers website “porters play a vital role throughout the hospital. They move frail and often very ill patients between different departments and wards in safety and comfort. They also transport complex and valuable equipment that may need expert handling around the building.” It is reassuring that an organisation that has so many highly qualified staff can acknowledge in connection with porters that “Without them the hospital could not function.” No formal qualifications are required to be a porter but I can confirm from experience that refined and sensitive communication skills are essential.

The basement Corridor at St Bartholomew's Hospital, 2011

I recall taking the photograph above whilst being pushed by a hospital porter in my bed. I remember this incident particularly as I mentioned to the porter how the journey he was taking me on reminded me of the film ‘The Shining’ with Jack Nicholson. Both the conversation and the photograph were influenced by class A drugs but I remember a long conversation with the porter pushing my bed (which was both my crane and dolly)  about the joys of Jack Nicholson.

Porters at the Royal London hospital, 2005

A few years ago I photographed the porters (above) at the London hospital when I was photographer in residence there. They were kind enough to guide me to intriguing and hidden places which were to disappear in the impending refurbishment. With their help I was able to capture some fascinating forgotten spaces of the hospital which have since disappeared.

Market porters in Bangladesh, Dhaka 1995

These porters paused briefly for me to take their photograph in the port area of Dhaka. They remind me of the porters at the London hospital despite their less formal pose.