Frontline doctor: “It’s exhausting... but kind gestures keep you going”
As the nation applauds our NHS workers, Closer speaks to the medics who are putting themselves on the front line to fight COVID-19
When Dr Rinesh Parmar arrives to start his 12-anda-half-hour shift at the intensive care unit (ICU) of a busy West Midlands hospital, he must first spend 15 minutes putting on protective clothing.
The disposable gloves, gown, visor and mask are the only barrier between Dr Rinesh and the coronavirus infecting many of his patients.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Once wearing the gear, his voice is muffled and his temperature rises quickly, while the mask rubs painfully on his skin.
The 31 year old, who is chair of The Doctors’ Association UK, is one of the thousands of heroic NHS workers who are putting themselves in danger to care for those suffering from COVID-19.
He says, “None of us have ever experienced working in a pandemic, and things are changing quickly. Right now, we’re treating a lot of patients successfully – but nobody really knows how much worse the situation will get.”
Ominously, despite the UK’s infection rate at 14,579 cases and 759 dead from the virus as Closer went to press, Dr Rinesh adds, “I worry it’s the calm before the storm.”
Last week, Prince Charles revealed he had the virus, as did the Prime Minister,
Boris Johnson, and Chief Medical Officer, Chris
Whitty. Health secretary
Matt Hancock was also diagnosed. Days before, he announced that a new temporary hospital with over 4,000 beds, known as
NHS Nightingale, is to open at the ExCel conference centre in London. And NHS staff from across all areas of the organisation, as well as retired employees, are being drafted in to help treat an ever-increasing number of patients.
The dedication shown by those working for the NHS led to an outpouring of support from the public last Thursday, when people across the UK took part in the #ClapForOurCarers tribute. Well-wishers flocked to their balconies, windows and gardens to applaud the remarkable work being done by the NHS. A video posted to the Kensington
Royal Instagram account showed Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joining in, too. Dr Rinesh says, “It was overwhelming and gave me a real sense of pride in what I do. I have never seen anything like it.”
The West Midlands, where Dr Rinesh works, is the second most infected area outside of the capital, with 926 cases.
He says, “When we first began treating patients with COVID19, there were only a handful of cases, so it was manageable. It felt rewarding to know that I was using my expertise to treat people who had a disease we’d never come across before. But now, the ICU is getting busier by the day. We’re also seeing young, previously healthy people need ventilators for two to three weeks. Our rota has gone out of the window. I mix between day and night shifts, grabbing a few hours of sleep when I can, which is exhausting. The worst thing is wearing the mask for hours. It digs into your face and leaves you with sores and ulcers. They aren’t designed for comfort and it’s difficult to communicate in them, so everything takes longer.”
EMOTIONAL TOLL
And it isn’t just the physical health of doctors and nurses at stake – a terrible emotional toll is being taken on NHS staff. A nurse working at King’s College Hospital, London – where eight people have died from coronavirus – tragically took her own life last Monday. Other healthcare workers in Europe have reported post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of treating coronavirus patients. Italian nurse, Daniela Trezzi,
34, took her own life after discovering she had COVID-19, and feared she’d infected others.
And – while pregnant women
❛ I’D URGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AFTER US, AND THEMSELVES, BY STAYING AT HOME ❜
have been urged to stay at home for 12 weeks – some pregnant NHS staff said they’ve been asked to continue working as normal.
MENTAL HEALTH
Dr Natalie Ashburner, a psychiatry registrar and wellbeing lead for The Doctors’ Association UK, believes that more mental health resources are necessary to provide support for medical workers. She says, “In the midst of a global pandemic, we must prioritise physical and mental health. Far too often, healthcare workers’ dedication to their work prevents them from seeking help, along with feelings of shame and fear of the impact it could have on their career. The best advice I can give to a person who is struggling is to tell someone. Seeking help is vital as, in order to look after others, you must first look after yourself.”
Dr Rinesh says he has a strong support system to rely on. He explains, “I’m trying to stay as positive as I can. We’ve had strangers get food delivered to workers on the ward, and our local supermarket has put up a poster thanking us. It’s those gestures that really help you keep going. I’m lucky, too, because I have a network of family, friends and colleagues I can talk to – but it’s hard not being able to see them in person. I can never be sure that I’m not bringing the virus home with me, so my fiancée and I live separately – we have to stay in touch over FaceTime. I also used to do shopping for my elderly parents but now I leave it on their doorstep.” Now, Dr Rinesh is urging the public to follow the government’s advice of staying home and going into self-isolation if needed. He says, “I worry our ICU will be overrun in a matter of weeks – which means we may have to make difficult decisions about who we can admit and treat. As a doctor, I want to go to work and make people better – not having enough equipment to treat them would be horrific. I’d urge everyone to look after us, and themselves, by staying at home. That way, we can look after those who need us most.”
By Alexandra Meyer