Dean Russell attended the NHS Parliamentary Awards in Westminster following the news that his nomination, The West Herts Virtual Hospital Covid19 Respiratory Team, was named Regional Champion and shortlisted for the prestigious National Award.
The ceremony takes place annually to celebrate the fantastic work of NHS teams across the country and to recognise those that go above and beyond the call of duty. The pandemic meant that this year’s ceremony was held as a ‘Hybrid’ event for the first time.
The COVID-19 Respiratory Team was nominated by Dean Russell and was one of more than 700 nominations. Watford’s MP said: “The NHS is our nation’s proudest achievement and for over 73 years, the dedicated staff have been there for everyone. Without the staff, there wouldn’t be an NHS and I would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, cleaners, porters, volunteers and everyone else that is vital to the running of the service. They all play such a key role in delivering for our residents.
Thanks to the West Herts Virtual Hospital Covid19 Respiratory Team, more than 1500 people with COVID-19 were managed outside of hospital, saving valuable NHS bed space and keeping patients safe and comfortable in their own homes. They thoroughly deserved to win the regional award.
WHHT lead respiratory consultant Dr Matthew Knight said: “COVID-19 has forced us all to adjust and create different ways of working and keeping in touch. We want to use these advances to keep our patients safe whilst reducing their need to come to hospital and saving the valuable time of NHS staff. Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive. We know that hospitals are busy places, and this can make it hard to rest well if you are an inpatient. Our patients know we can keep them safe and bring them in at a moments’ notice if needed.”
