England’s top medic Chris Whitty treated Covid patients over Christmas weekend

Chief medical officer working on wards as coronavirus surge hits the capital

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty worked over Christmas (PA)

England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has been helping to treat coronavirus patients on wards at one of London’s top hospitals during the Christmas weekend, The Independent has learned.

Professor Whitty, a consultant physician at University College London Hospitals Trust, was spotted working on the north London hospital’s respiratory ward over the weekend and bank holiday Monday.

He worked the shifts in his capacity as a practising doctor and not in his role as chief medical officer for England.

Prof Whitty, who became chief medical officer in 2018, has become a household name after rising to prominence during the coronavirus crisis and appearing at numerous Downing Street briefings.

Both the UCLH Trust and the Department of Health and Social Care declined to answer questions about Prof Whitty’s work in the hospital over Christmas.

He previously said he would be working at Christmas.

In November, he told a press conference at No 10 that he would be “on the wards” at Christmas and urged the public “to have sense” as the national lockdown neared its end.

On social media, nurses and doctors praised the chief medical officer and wider clinical team for their efforts over the festive break.

Since his warning in November, the daily numbers of coronavirus cases in London have increased by more than 200 per cent.

Prof Whitty’s efforts come as NHS England in London issued an appeal to doctors and nurses across the capital to work extra shifts in the coming weeks, when the surge in coronavirus cases is expected to peak.

Hospitals across London have declared major incidents and redeployed staff as well as cancelling thousands of operations.

Prof Whitty qualified at Oxford University in 1991 before training in infectious diseases and tropical medicine.  

The 54-year-old started his career in government in 2009 as the chief scientific adviser to the Department for International Development before moving to handle the UK’s response to the outbreak of Ebola in Africa. 

He sits on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), alongside Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser, and England’s deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam.

While Prof Whitty works for an NHS trust and continues to practise as a doctor, he is not the only high-profile figure to work in care during the crisis.

In May, it emerged that the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was making visits to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London to minister to patients. He has volunteered as a chaplain at the hospital on a regular basis. It is close to his home at Lambeth Palace.