We've marked World Patient Safety Day (Friday 17 September), which this year focuses on maternity and neonatal care, by sharing initiatives which we’ve introduced to make our services safer.

We are delighted that our Healthcare Assistant (HCA) Intern team has been named Team of the Year at the Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) Awards.

Pippa Ward, senior sister in our operating theatres at King George Hospital, has retired after over 30 years at our Trust. She trained with us in 1984 and spent almost her entire career in our hospitals – with just a five-year gap at Basildon Hospital in the 90s.

Between 14 July and 2 September 2021, 203 patients with Covid-19 were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) across north east London (NEL). Of these, 90 per cent (181) were not fully vaccinated, with most tending to be on average six years younger than patients admitted to ICU who are fully vaccinated.

Francesca Bertolina, a critical care and surgical physiotherapist, is running the virtual London Marathon this year to raise money for our charity.

An £11.5m investment to expand and enhance our Critical Care departments is well underway – with work due to be completed at both our hospitals by the end of this year.

A huge well done to our men’s football team, who represented Dagenham & Redbridge FC at the Thank You NHS tournament, for finishing runners up.

Our Academy of Surgery, an innovative training scheme for doctors wishing to pursue a surgical career, won the People and Organisational Development Initiative of the Year at last night’s (Thursday 2 September) HSJ Value awards.

Sir David Sloman, Regional Director of the NHS in London, visited King George Hospital on Wednesday 1 September to hear about our innovative approaches to reducing our waiting lists, and officially cut the ribbon on our new surgical robot.

You Made a Difference awards have been presented to two of our staff.