UK Leading Medics Give MJS Christmas Science Lecture

MJS Christmas Lecture 2022: Covid-19 – When the Clapping Stopped

Two of the UK’s leading medics held a packed Humphreys Theatre rapt as they gave a blow-by-blow account of how London’s Guys and St Thomas’s dealt with the Covid-19 Pandemic. From outbreak to third wave, the lecture covered clinical practise, use of data science, medical trials, and sheer determination and ingenuity employed to ensure best care for patients. Prof. Nicholas Hart, Professor of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Suneil Rannessur revealed the lengths the hospital went to in fighting the virus from chartering jets to ensure colleagues had adequate PPE to work safely, to sourcing 1,000s of ventilators and building critical care beds overnight, to working with Formula 1 engineers to test medical equipment at speed. Our speakers also gave an honest account of the impact of the pandemic response on themselves and their colleagues within the NHS, recounting their own feelings on handing over seriously ill loved ones to be cared for by colleagues to seeing the effect on newly qualified doctors who were expedited to the front line of medical and patient care.

The evening was particularly poignant for Caterham as our esteemed speakers were an Old Caterhamian and a current parent who had clearly navigated the most challenging of circumstances together with resilience, resourcefulness and considerable expertise. Guys & St Thomas Hospital  looked after 1300 COVID patients in ICU, which is more than any other hospital in the UK, and had best survival in the UK. 

For Prof Nicholas Hart, Old Caterhamian, hit the headlines for his role treating former PM Boris Johnson, whose son was given the middle name Nicholas to honour his work. Professor Hart was able to catch up with former school friends and teachers during his visit – and wore his Old Caterhamian scarf and Moncreiff Jones Society tie with pride!

Pupils asked myriad informed questions to which the speakers gave generous and full answers. Amongst the audience were pupils from Caterham’s partner schools and who are also members of our Wright Medical Society for aspiring medics, vets and dentists.