Croydon’s A&E doctor wins “Top Doc” award
Croydon’s A&E doctor wins “Top Doc” award in the Hail Your Hero Honours
Croydon’s lead doctor in the borough’s Emergency Department was today named the nation’s ‘Top Doc’ in the Sun on Sunday’s ‘Hail Your Heroes’ awards.
Dr Mayank Agarwal, aged 47, has helped Croydon University Hospital to safely care for thousands of people needing emergency treatment during the COVID-19 crisis.
Nominated by his wife Chandi, a GP in Sutton, Dr Agarwal has worked tirelessly to protect the public and support his emergency care team, despite suffering his own personal loss and concerns for his own health – all whilst balancing family life with their two children, aged 9 and 14.
Dr Mayank Agarwal, lead emergency care consultant at Croydon University Hospital said:
“We are right at the coalface in the Emergency Department, treating people with all conditions, not just coronavirus. This is a once in a lifetime crisis and we have needed to pull out all the stops. I could not be more proud of how we have risen to the challenge in Croydon and I will share this award with my whole team.”
An emergency consultant in Croydon since 2011, Mayank has helped the hospital care for more than 1,500 people with COVID-19, at the same time as keeping services running for anyone needing urgent and emergency treatment for anyone needing non-COVID care.
At the height of the first wave, Mayank also suffered his own personal loss when his father sadly passed away from a short illness. He was also advised to shield during the initial COVID lockdown as he has a lung condition. However, he chose to continue working using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect himself whilst caring for people needing emergency treatment.
Mayank said:
“The personal loss for people has been huge. For many, COVID-19 can have mild symptoms, but for some it has very serious complications. We were seeing patients that were much sicker than I was. This is the job we trained for to care for people when they need us the most, so I chose to stay and support my team. We are in this together and that after six months I am just grateful that I’ve been able to travel to India to lay my father to rest.”
Dr Nnenna Osuji, Medical Director at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said:
“Mayank is an incredible physician and amazing person. We are fortunate to have him on our team. His dedication to his patients and colleagues is testament to how much we care in Croydon, and across the wider NHS. This pandemic has tested us like never before, but we are rising above it to care for our community because of people like Mayank and his team.”
The Sun on Sunday awards are given frontline workers and volunteers who have helped to make the nation proud with their tireless efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The full list of winners can be found here.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust runs two hospitals in Croydon as well as providing community health services at home, in schools and in 15 health centres across the borough.
- For more information or images please contact Michael Foster in the CHS Trust communications team on chs.comms@nhs.net or call 020 8401 3700 and ask for on the on-duty press officer.