Congratulations to Dr Gee Yen Shin, recipient of the Chief Executive’s Award at UCLH’s Celebrating Excellence Awards, an accolade that aims to highlight a special contribution to the Trust.
The annual ceremony recognises and celebrates the notable efforts of UCLH staff over the previous twelve months, with nominations made by colleagues.
Dr Shin is a Consultant Virologist at UCLH and is our Clinical Specialty Lead for virology, with additional roles at UCLH in infection prevention and control.
Both these roles presented enormous challenges during the pandemic. His work involved everything from supporting the set up of COVID-19 testing capabilities during the first several months, navigating untrodden paths and making constant adjustments as the situation developed, to working tirelessly to ensure the ongoing safety of UCLH patients and staff.
Gee Yen outlined just how unique an experience it has been: “I know it’s an overused word but it is really unprecedented… I’ve worked in the NHS for 26 years. I’ve never seen a period like this.”
An award that reflects shared effort
He confesses he wasn’t aware that he had even been nominated for the award until he started receiving messages from colleagues on the night.
While he feels “very honoured and humbled to receive this award”, he wants to stress that his achievements have been part of a huge team effort from his colleagues and teams across both the NHS and Sonic Healthcare UK.
“None of this is in isolation, and I had to do a lot of work, liaison and collaboration with my scientific colleagues; especially, for example, Dr Lisa Levett’s team, Dr Paul Grant, the clinical scientists in virology and other molecular virology colleagues, but also with NHS virology colleagues and, indeed, with PHE colleagues.
“There’s only one name on the award but I think, really, it should be the whole Trust, and Sonic Healthcare UK as well. For all of us to sustain this effort over eighteen months is hard to believe.”
During such an intense time, how are he and his colleagues coping? “It’s all about maintaining a work-life balance”, he says, and he does his best to “switch off” when he’s at home.
“When the pandemic is over we’ll all need to take a well-deserved break. I think we’re all feeling it, but people are being sensible and taking annual leave and that’s been really helpful.”
It’s going to be a tough winter
Looking ahead to winter and the new threats posed by other respiratory viruses like flu and RSV, Dr Shin is under no illusions that we are in for a tough time. “I’m afraid this winter is going to be difficult.” But there is some cause for optimism, since ‘to be forewarned is to be forearmed’. “Getting staff vaccinated is the most important step”, he says, as the nights start to draw in, and already flu jabs and Covid boosters are being administered across the NHS.