Alex George has praised the NHS for saving his life when he suffered from sepsis.
The 30-year-old doctor recalled when he was rushed to the resuscitation department after he came down with the potentially life-threatening condition, which arises when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its tissues and organs.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "I’d just finished a shift in A&E when I realised I had become more and more unwell. I cycled home and really struggled. I had a shower and realised I was very sick indeed. I got myself over to nearby St Thomas’ Hospital.
"I looked awful and felt as though I was going to collapse. I got seen very quickly by the ER nurse who rushed me into resus [resuscitation] where I received intravenous antibiotics, fluids and treatment.
"I was on the ward for five or six days. They saved my life."
After he was discharged from hospital, the A&E doctor attempted to go back to work at Lewisham Hospital in south east London, but his co-workers refused to let him work until he had fully recovered.
Alex said: "I left hospital on the Friday and tried to go back to work the following Monday.
"But they didn’t let me back until I had recovered properly. I went back on the Wednesday instead. Looking back, it’s more stupid than heroic."
Since the coronavirus crisis, Alex – who has been working on the frontline – has never been more thankful for the NHS and the resuscitation unit that helped save his and many more lives.
He said: "Times are tough but in the NHS we roll up our sleeves and get on with it. Our resus department has seven or eight beds and in just one hour we can have multiple ambulances coming in with critically ill patients of all ages.
"It’s really important to say that the way Lewisham has dealt with the crisis is absolutely fantastic. They’ve done amazingly. The way they’ve managed the flow of patients, the way they’ve managed staffing and making sure we always have PPE (personal protective equipment) – it’s absolutely fantastic."
Alex George: The NHS saved my life
