“It’s thanks to the amazing treatment I received that I’m still here today” Lorraine Kelly returns to St George’s to thank staff
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly returned to St George’s in March to thank staff who cared for her when she was admitted to St George’s in 2012 as a major trauma patient.
Lorraine had been horse riding when she fell and was trampled by the horse, requiring urgent care from our specialist teams after losing three pints of blood.
Her visit was filmed as part of a mini-series for ITV to celebrate the NHS 70th birthday – and was broadcast on her ITV show ‘Lorraine’ today (Monday 21 May). It is available to watch via the ITV hub here until 28 May.
Lorraine met with Sarah Krishnanandan, Consultant in Emergency Medicine who treated her in the Emergency Department; and Martin Vesely, Consultant Plastic Surgeon who operated on her.
Rosie, Lorraine’s daughter, said: “The staff at St George’s were amazing, the nurses were great and Martin put my mum at ease. He made her feel really comfortable and he made me and my dad feel really comfortable as well.”
Lorraine praised Martin and the whole team for treating her as a person, not just an injury.
Martin said: “It’s important for a patient and their recovery [to do so] to accept what’s happened to them and help them get through it.”
Lorraine also met with Subi Menon, Matron on Gunning Ward, where Lorraine was a patient for seven days before being discharged home.
Other members of the ward team including physiotherapist Stephen Friend and administrator Sandra Manning also chatted to Lorraine and recounted their conversations with her from when she was a patient.
Lorraine ended her visit to St George’s by thanking all staff involved in her care and wishing a happy 70th birthday to the NHS. She said: “Thank you very much for everything.
“I don’t know what we’d do without the NHS. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.”
The Sun, BBC News, Daily Mail, iNews, Metro, Hello, Daily Star and Woman and Home also featured Lorraine’s story.
#NHS70 at St George’s
Keep your eyes peeled over the coming months as we’ve worked with a wide range of services across the Trust and media outlets to celebrate the diversity of the NHS in its 70th year.
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact Pippa Harper, Media Manager, on philippa.harper@stgeorges.nhs.uk or 020 8266 6128.
