Spotlight on Lorraine Lloyd

SPOTLIGHT ON…

LORRAINE LLOYD

Lorraine Lloyd, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, spent six weeks in Ukraine earlier this year, from 23 March to 4 May working with humanitarian charity UK-Med to provide medical care to local people forced to leave their homes by the Russian invasion. Lorraine was based an hour outside Lviv in a small western Ukraine town called Drohobych, working with a small team including a consultant, paramedic and GP. What were you doing in Ukraine and how did it come about?

I’ve done quite a bit of work with UK-Med before, having not long returned from working in Malawi before the emergency deployment to Ukraine. We were the first clinical team to reach Drohobych, which was estimated to have 15,000 to 20,000 additional displaced people. We were there to provide medical care for anyone who needed it by hosting mobile clinics.

What was it like being in Ukraine at that time?

There was some trepidation, but we were well briefed with security information beforehand. Arriving in Ukraine and experiencing the camps was a bit like a festival with people passing from each direction, with huge queues of cars and people trying to reach the border with Poland. There was a huge number of organisations giving out supplies, while there was lots of media attention. When we got to Drohobych there were roadblocks and a military presence, but it didn’t feel hostile in any way. There was a curfew of 8pm and nobody was allowed to travel anywhere on their own. Food was delivered to our accommodation so we could stay in our building whenever

we weren’t at a clinic. You’d just have to wait for the air raid siren to start and then wait for the all-clear. There was one time sirens went off during the clinic but the school we were based at had a bomb shelter we could use.

What was it like going into a bomb shelter and what was it like meeting people who had left their homes?

We were very much guided by what the general public were doing so when they headed for shelter, so did we. I remember it being very dark and cold, but we were able to continue our clinic while we waited. We met lots of women and children that had fled their homes. Listening to some of their stories was just heartbreaking. There were lots of hugs, some tears and cups of coffee. “WE MET LOTS OF WOMEN But this was all only possible because of the brilliant translators we had with

AND CHILDREN THAT us. It was really sad leaving at the end HAD FLED THEIR HOMES. of the six weeks because we had such a great team. I feel privileged to go there.

LISTENING TO SOME OF It was extremely humbling, but we did THEIR STORIES WAS JUST our small part to help.

HEARTBREAKING.”

DUKE OF WESTMINSTER JOINS ‘RAINBOW DAY’ CELEBRATIONS

The Duke of Westminster praised Cheshire’s keyworkers at a ‘Rainbow Day’ celebration at the Countess.

The Duke placed a time capsule at the foot of a new ‘Rainbow’ sculpture and spoke to staff from the Trust and other local services, including North West Ambulance Service and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The Rainbow, built by the British Ironwork Centre and sponsored by Medicash, is located outside the hospital’s main entrance and stands as a tribute to the efforts of keyworkers during the pandemic. The Duke of Westminster said: “The time capsule I helped bury contains several items that all capture the local experience of Covid-19 here in Chester in such a personal and fitting way. But one thing that can never be sufficiently captured - such is its scale - is the immense debt of gratitude that we all owe the Countess of Chester Hospital, alongside NHS staff up and down the country, for the care and compassion you have provided us at the most challenging time.” The Duke placed a time capsule at the foot of the rainbow, containing local items relating to COVID-19 for posterity: pictures and letters from schoolchildren, personal messages and photographs from staff, an empty vial of Pfizer vaccine to signify the Countess’ role in the vaccine roll out, a memory bag from the palliative care team and a prayer from the hospital’s Chaplaincy team. Representatives from the hospital and other emergency services heard the Duke give a short speech, in which he said he was “humbled by their dedication” and wanted “to pay tribute to their selfless commitment to do whatever has been necessary to look after patients” before getting the chance to meet him.

Jessie Joy, Practice Education Facilitator, said: “It’s wonderful to celebrate something so positive after what has been such a challenging time. It’s lovely recognition for everyone at the hospital and other emergency service partners.” Over £40,000 has been raised by the Countess Charity via the Rainbow, which is adorned with thousands of multicoloured hearts each representing individual donations. This money is going towards the charity’s £500,000 Blue Skies Balcony Appeal for a new outdoor area next to the intensive care unit.

Clive Knowles, British Ironwork Centre, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the Rainbow and it’s really thrilling to see it in place and finished.” Dr Susan Gilby, Chief Executive, and Ian Haythornthwaite, Chair, represented the Countess of Chester Hospital’s Board of Directors at the event, giving short speeches and meeting other guests afterwards. Dr Gilby said: “I am delighted that the Duke of Westminster was able to join us on this special occasion. Addressing the challenges of the pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but I have been humbled to see the lengths to which our teams have gone to support and care for our patients and each other. The Rainbow stands to commemorate their compassion, dedication and skill not just in times of crisis but at all times.”

Although it was limited attendance only at the event, every member of staff at the Countess received an individually wrapped rainbow cupcake as part of the celebration. Lesley Woodhead, Head of Fundraising at the Countess, said: “Living through the pandemic has been hard for all of us, but thanks to our keyworkers’ dedication we are getting through it. We wanted to create something to remember this time and I can’t thank the British Ironwork Centre and Medicash enough for making the Rainbow possible.”

The Duke with Ian Haythornthwaite, Chair, and Susan Gilby, Chief Executive The Duke meets some of the team