Stories from #SWLThankYouTogether

I’d like to thank my Dad, Dr Maurice Marcus (1897-1976), one of the founder GPs of the NHS, pictured here in London’s East End, which he served all his life.

As a medical student, he would rise early each day to push a barrow of fruit and vegetables from Covent Garden to Whitechapel to earn money to pay his fees at the London Hospital, and he set up his practice in Turner Street near the Hospital.

His first patients were from his own Jewish community, and then Greeks and Italians. Near the end of his life (he never retired), most of his patients were Bangladeshi, so he learnt some Bengali and Urdu. He gained national prominence in 1965, when he set up a successful appeal so that one of his patients, a woman from Mauritius, could have the UK’s first home renal dialysis equipment.

Amongst tributes in his obituary in the local newspaper, Mrs Deborah Owen, wife of the politician Lord David Owen, wrote: “People came from all over London to his surgery. He looked after us all with equal love,” she said. “His death is the end of an era in the East End.

– Julian Marcus

Dr Krishan Arora dedicated his life for NHS as a GP in Croydon. He is his patients and my hero. Thank you for all your kindness and beautiful heart and how hard you always worked to look after your patients, until you passed away because of Covid-19. As a wife I’m proud of you.

– Tata Arora

We would all like to thank Sarah Taylor (Associate Director Medicines Optimisation (Chief Pharmacist) – Sutton) for leading the team during the pandemic.

Not only has she been a thoughtful caring manager by sending individual
thoughtful cards and gifts to the team, she has also integrated two teams (PCN and CCG) and modelled an entirely new way of working to directly support Sutton GP practices during COVID19, to initially reduce footfall and support safe medicines use in at risk patients.

Sarah has negotiated with her seniors for the benefit of her team, balancing what can realistically be offered and delivered by her team with the needs and expectations of Sutton Borough practices as well as inputting into key discussions at SWL CCG level.

Sarah has supported and motivated the team immensely – her team know that she is always there, on a personal and professional level and we can’t thank her enough.

– Sutton Integrated Medicines Optimisation Team

This is a shout out/thank you to Viccie Nelson, lead for community cell, care homes and end of life care in SWL. She has been an incredible resource through the pandemic, tireless in her work and constantly cheerful and can do.

We would not have achieved half as much without her. She is really modest and will probably hate the fact I have done this!

THANK YOU VICCIE