Afghanistan crisis hits home for Shrewsbury doctor
Events such as those in Afghanistan sometimes feel very distant but personal stories from colleagues can serve to bring them much closer to home. I’ve written before about our fantastic international nurses, who come from all over the world to help us and the communities we serve, and another of the team here at SaTH has made a remarkable journey to be here working in our hospitals.
Dr Waheed Arian, who is part of our emergency team, fled his country of birth, Afghanistan, in circumstances very similar to those being played out on the news right now, before arriving in the UK as a 15-year-old refugee. Working his way through a succession of jobs, he gained his medical degree at Cambridge University before joining the NHS and the team here.
He has also founded his own charity, Arian Teleheal, to support medics in conflict-affected countries, which, along with his work in the health service, has now seen him nominated for a national Best Doctor prize as part of the “Who Cares Wins” awards backed by The Sun, Channel 4 and NHS Charities Together.
Stories as dramatic as Waheed’s may not be that common but the dedication and commitment he shows to caring for others is found right across the NHS and is what makes it such a special place to work. Best of luck to Waheed in the awards finals – we’ll all be cheering him on from here in Shropshire.
And while we are recognising remarkable achievements, I also want to offer my thanks to the League of Friends of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, who you may have seen covered in this paper on Saturday. Alongside their counterparts at the Princess Royal in Telford, they do amazing work to support SaTH, my colleagues, and our patients.
Whether its manning the shop that provides a valuable service to all those in our hospitals or the incredible fundraising undertaken that has helped provide everything from scanners to lasers to monitoring units, they are a crucial part of the fabric and life of the Trust. We are very grateful for all that they do; thank you.
Finally, I would like to ask again that people continue to consider COVID-19 and its impacts, as we are still seeing elevated infection levels in our communities and new patients in our hospitals, many of whom are needing intensive care. Although the requirements have changed in society at large, I would still strongly advise people to continue wearing masks in crowded, indoor settings and observe social distancing. In our hospitals, as well as other healthcare settings, both of these remain mandatory to protect our staff and patients.
I would also urge anyone who hasn’t had been vaccinated to get both jabs as soon as they can, as it remains the best protection against serious illness. If you haven’t already got the jabs or booked in for them, we will be offering a walk-in service for over 16s at both our hospitals: 09.00-16.00, 26 th and 31 st August at the Royal Shrewsbury and 25 th August and 2 nd September at the Princess Royal, no appointments needed for first or second dose (eight weeks after your
first). Come along and get protected.
