Heartbeat July 2020

Lockdown through the eyes of
frontline medics
COVID-19
BBC presenter Mary Rhodes presented
Midlands Today from the lawn of City
Hospital
Our frontline medics were the focus in a
live broadcast of the popular news show
BBC Midlands Today to mark 100 days
of lockdown. Filmed at City Hospital, the
show’s host Mary Rhodes delivered the
30 minute broadcast from the lawn at
the front of the emergency department,
speaking to Dr Sarb Clare, Acute
Medicine Consultant, and Deputy Medical
Director about her experiences.
Dr Clare spoke in-depth about how she, along
with colleagues, had been coping throughout
the pandemic and the importance of patients
accessing care. This is particularly important
right now as we were keen to stress that
patients can visit the hospital safely knowing
that they are protected from the transmission
of the virus. We have implemented a number
of safety measures to ensure public safety
is not compromised. This news story was a
good way to get this message across to many
within our region.
The pandemic saw our workplace
overwhelmed by kindness and
support from the local community and
businesses.
As members of the public panicked and
started to do more shopping than they
would normally, the shops ran dry; meaning
colleagues who were working long hours
to fight COVID-19 were unable to find
essentials in their local supermarkets.
To save the day, in stepped local communities
and businesses who donated a whole range
of essential products to colleagues. Amanda
Winwood, Fundraising Manager, Your Trust
Charity was at the forefront, arranging and
co-ordinating deliveries.
She said: “It was truly amazing how
everyone came together to help our staff.
The donations we received were valued at
over £300,000 which is unprecedented.
“I would like to thank all the community
groups and businesses who came forward.
I would particularly like to call out Sewa
Dr Lorna Bagshaw, Consultant
Paediatrician, is filmed by the BBC
Afterwards, pre-recorded interviews with Dr
Clare, Dr Nick Sherwood, Joint Clinical Lead for
Critical Care Services and Mel Roberts, Deputy
Chief Operating Officer were shown.
They spoke about their own experiences of
dealing with the virus. Dr Sherwood recalled:
“This has been the hardest three months of
my life. Having played a major part in the flu
pandemic, we felt it was going to be a bit
like that, but it wasn’t. It was a much harder
challenge than influenza.”
And he warned: “This is not over, it’s easy to
think that coronavirus is done, it’s cured, but it
isn’t. It’s still there and there is a real chance it
could come back. We need to make sure that
we prevent a second surge by social distancing
and being sensible because I don’t want to go
through what I’ve been through in the last few
months.”
Dr Clare told the BBC: “For me, I’ll always
remember the fear in everyone’s eyes; the
patients’ eyes, colleagues’ eyes. There was real
Community and businesses thanked
as donations come to an end
Day Community Group who provided snacks
and drinks for wellbeing packs, Prestige Suite
who provided chilled meals and fresh fruit for
colleagues working out of hours, NewG420
for donating £25k of toiletries and cleaning
products, Gaijin Sushi for supplying 300 meals
for four weeks, Meals for NHS for supplying
out of hours frozen meals for ten weeks and
Work Perks for linking with businesses and
supplying drinks and snacks.
As lockdown has eased and we've started to
get back to some normality we have stopped
accepting donations. We recognise that there
are those in greater need in our communities
who are experiencing job losses and financial
hardship.
upheaval, lots of change, lots of rapid
change. Upskilling ourselves in a condition
we knew nothing about and learning
about a new disease that we’d never dealt
with.” Whilst Mel added: “The teamwork
and the support we’ve offered one
another is probably the one thing that I
will take away from this.”
Earlier in the day, a TV crew had spent
time talking to staff and patients, including
Fred Hadley, who had come into the
hospital to undergo a heart procedure
by Dr Shamim Rahman. The consultant
and registrar Dr George Hunter were able
to successfully unblock an artery using
specialist equipment.
Fred told the presenter: “I am here to have
a very important procedure done. I am not
put off by the pandemic as this is essential.
I would urge other patients who have
appointments to make sure they attend.”
Fred was discharged later that day.
Meanwhile, Consultant Paediatrician
Lorna Bagshaw, along with Staff Nurse
Zoe Crookes were both interviewed in
the new Children’s Emergency Care Unit,
showcasing the new facility to viewers,
following a £1.2 million refurbishment.
The support was truly overwhelming
and we are now working on plans to
permanently commemorate all the groups
that stepped in to help us."
Communities and businesses donated a range of essential products to our colleagues
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