Our Friends At King’s College Hospital Adapt To Covid-19

Our friends at King’s College Hospital have worked tirelessly to deal with the impact of Covid-19. Here were speak to Chief Executive of King’s College NHS Foundation Trust, Clive Kay as he reflects on the response to Covid-19.

How do you think Team King’s has responded to the pandemic?
I have been inspired and humbled by the extraordinary way Team King’s has risen to the challenge of Covid-19. These are unprecedented circumstances and King’s College Hospital has had one of the highest Covid-19 admissions in the country. Our staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide safe and compassionate care to patients in all of our hospitals, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the team which has helped more than 2,300 people recover from Covid-19. During this pandemic, we have all needed to work outside of our comfort zone. Many people stepped up to do tasks that they hadn’t done for many years, and learnt new skill sets to help care for our patients. So many colleagues went the extra mile during these extraordinary times, with special mention to redeployed staff, and medical and nursing students.

What stand out moments have helped to keep you motivated?
Hearing the streets around all our hospitals come alive with the applause of thousands of residents showing their appreciation for everybody who works in the NHS was an unforgettable moment. The generosity and kindness of people and companies, both locally and nationally, who donated food, toiletries, accommodation, and their time as volunteers, was overwhelming. In these challenging times it was heart-warming to see how our local community came together to support us and the NHS.

Is there anything from the response to Covid-19 that you hope we’ll keep?
I hope that we can keep the focus, the flexibility, and the team spirit. Covid-19 has tested the NHS to the fullest, but it is also an opportunity to transform how we work, how we care for patients and how we support one another. During the pandemic, we have been able to cut through process and bureaucracy to come up with some clever ways of providing our patients with the best possible care and treatment. We now need to hold on to those changes and make them part of everyday life at the Trust.

What are the next challenges on the horizon?
Covid-19 remains with us, and we must continue to be vigilant in our response to this pandemic. Nevertheless, we are now working hard to try to get back to a ‘new normal’. This means getting as many of our other services back on track, while keeping our staff and patients safe from the virus. The safety and wellbeing of our patients, staff and volunteers will always be our top priority.

 

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