‘Burnt out’ doctor who warned of stresses on staff dies aged 35
TRIBUTES have been paid to a ‘‘kind and devoted’’ doctor who worked at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital after she died suddenly.
The death of Dr Vaishnavi Kumar comes just two weeks after the passing of another doctor from the same city hospital.
Dr Kumar, 35, had previously told how the pandemic had “taken its toll” on the NHS profession in the West Midlands.
The medic, who specialised in diabetes and endocrinology was described as a “muchloved and highly respected doctor, friend and colleague” by her hospital trust.
Paying tribute, Dr Vijayan Suresh, Divisional Medical Director for University Hospitals Birmingham, told the Post: “We are incredibly sad to learn of the death of our colleague Dr Vaishnavi Kumar.
“Vaishnavi had such a positive impact on her patients, offering them the very best care and treatment.
“From talking to those she worked closely with, it is clear that she was a kind, devoted, much-loved and highly respected doctor, friend and colleague. Our thoughts remain with Vaishnavi’s family at this very difficult time.”
Dr Kumar had been admitted to City Hospital in Birmingham,
but died on June 22.
A friend told the Post that Dr Kumar had faced a “number of issues” and felt “burnt out”.
An inquest has been opened and adjourned by a Birmingham and Solihull Coroner. A full inquest will be held later this year.
In June 2020, Dr Kumar was acknowledged for her “passion for medicine and commitment to inspire many.”
She was commended for her “ability to unite teams, support to junior colleagues and dedication to patient care”.
Last summer, Dr Kumar, who was chief registrar at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust, told how staff had gone through a range of varying emotions with each wave of the Covid pandemic.
She said: “The first was a huge shock and we were dealing with a lot of uncertainty.
“At the same time, we felt enthusiastic about tackling it – we felt like we were doing something heroic and the public sentiment echoed that.
“All specialty training for junior doctors like myself was on hold. I had to focus on the pandemic alone. It was concerning for me as I was seeing colleagues and doctors becoming unwell too. In the second wave and going into a third wave, everyone was just feeling exhausted.”
The doctor, who backed a campaign for a memorial to honour heroic NHS workers who died during the service’s greatest health emergency, said the pandemic was “really challenging”.
“It has taken a toll on everyone,” she had said. “We’re a caring profession and this is our calling, but it’s really challenging seeing people my age or younger than me coming in so unwell and having to go into intensive care.”
She also told how her parents, who also work for the NHS, live in Leicester and that she had formed a Covid bubble with them.
However, Dr Kumar said it was hard that she could not visit her grandparents in India.
Dr Kumar had also been responsible for coordinating a team to provide emergency care for those who are admitted and managing unwell patients out of hours.
The tragedy comes just a fortnight after the death of QE doctor Andrew Haldane, who went missing after leaving work. The 45-year-old consultant anaesthetist was discovered dead in woodland in remote Worcestershire countryside on June 8.