Trust staff recognised in New Year’s honours
All areas: Key NHS staff receive MBEs for efforts during COVID-19 crisis
Two senior members of staff who led Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been recognised in the New Year's Honours.
Medical director Dr Tim Ho and head of nursing for critical care Diane Dodsworth both received MBEs for their work during the crisis.
Dr Ho oversaw the retraining of colleagues into frontline COVID-19 roles as well as significant changes in the delivery of care across the trust’s three hospitals.
He also mobilised and sup
ported senior staff who stepped into emergency response command roles.
The trust said he provided clear and compassionate leadership during ‘the most challenging period the NHS has faced’.
Dr Ho said: “I was truly stunned and humbled when I received the news of this award.
“This is genuinely a reflection of the hard work, dedic
ation and patient care the staff at Frimley Health and indeed the whole health and care system in our area have delivered during the pandemic.
“I see this is as much an honour for them as for me.”
Diane manages the critical care teams across Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital, in Surrey.
She played a key role in helping the trust double its critical care capacity to cope with the first peak of the pandemic in April.
Her team led the training of more than 200 non-ICU nurses to ensure they had the additional skills required to work on the units.
Diane said: “I see this award as one for the critical care teams across Frimley Health.
“It would have been impossible for me to undertake the enormous challenge of the last 10 months without the hard work, determination and support of our brilliant critical care teams as well as the wider organisation and the huge number of staff that have worked with us.”
Neil Dardis, chief executive at Frimley Health, said: “This is well deserved recognition for Tim and Di’s outstanding contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic and we are very proud that they have been recognised in this way.
“Moreover, the fact that members of our teams have received these honours is a reflection on our entire
Trust and all that our teams have achieved through this year.”