A haematology consultant at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals has been awarded one of the country’s highest honours after being made an OBE for services to Blood Transfusion and Patient Care.
Dr Sharran Grey, Haematology Consultant Clinical Scientist in the Lancashire Haematology Centre was honoured in 2021 New Year’s honours list but didn’t actually receive the OBE until last week due to Covid restrictions. Dr Grey attended the ceremony last week at Windsor Castle and accompanied by her family was awarded the OBE by Prince Charles.
This is not the first time that Dr Grey has received national acclaim, in 2017 she was awarded the NHS England Chief Scientific Officer’s Healthcare Science Award for her doctoral research on Accelerated Red Cell Transfusion for Selected Patients. This research also led to the development of a red cell dosage calculator app which improves the achievement of a patient’s haemoglobin target. This is now a registered medical device and available to other NHS organisations.
Speaking about the honour of receiving the OBE for services to Blood Transfusion and Patient Care, Dr Grey said: Blood transfusion is life-saving and is part of the backbone of a hospital as so many patients rely on it to get them through surgery, trauma, childbirth, chemotherapy and many other medical conditions.
“A blood transfusion starts with the blood donor and ends with the patient, and I am part of a huge multi-professional team supporting that process. Everything I do, and decision I make starts with the patient: whether this has been for research and innovation, the services I am responsible for, or my service to the individual patients in my care.
“I have been so fortunate to have been trusted and supported by amazing colleagues and senior leaders to pursue ideas, projects, innovations and new ways of working. This is something I will never forget and have always tried to ‘pay forward’ to support future generations in our profession.
“Receiving the OBE for services to Blood Transfusion and Patient Care is a real honour, one which I accepted in acknowledgement of the NHS, our profession, our patients and the incredible colleagues I have worked with over the years.”
Speaking about the honour, the Trust’s Chief Executive, Trish Armstrong-Child said: “On behalf of the whole Trust and the board I would like to say a huge congratulations to Sharran. As the transfusion lead at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals I know the hard work which she puts in tirelessly in the background and this honour is very well deserved.
“I hope it was a fantastic day for Sharran and her family and we are all extremely proud of the achievement.”