Life on the coronavirus front line in Brighton

Moving into the Royal Sussex County Hospital’s intensive therapy unit would be a big step for any surgical trainee.

But with the coronavirus pandemic hitting Britain just a month later, the 34-year-old had to learn fast.

“Already I was out of my comfort zone so I had to absorb a lot of information really quickly,” Lisa said.

“In February we started to talk about Covid and it gradually became a bigger thing.

“There was a bit of a background conversation then suddenly everybody was talking about it.

Lisa joined the Royal Sussex County Hospital's intensive treatment unit in February

“We were seeing the news come out everywhere of it appearing in new places and worry about intensive therapy units being overwhelmed.

“But we knew it was coming and started preparing.”

It was unknown territory for all staff, not just Lisa. Having to tackle a new disease experts are still learning about was a difficult task to tackle.

“At first we thought kids couldn’t be affected by it but then we found out that wasn’t true,” Lisa said.

“It was all about learning these new developments and trying to keep on top of things.”

But an even more difficult job was telling families they could no longer see their loved ones in hospital.

“At a certain point we decided we couldn’t let families into the intensive therapy unit any more,” said Lisa.

“The hardest thing to do was having to tell families over the phone about their loved ones. It’s very difficult to do that over the phone.”

Lisa said the hardest part of the pandemic was informing family members over the phone about their loved ones in hospital

Yet the Royal Sussex staff managed to keep their morale up... not least thanks to community support.

It was the first Clap for Carers on March 26 that Lisa remembers most.

That evening she had been tasked with her first lumbar puncture, otherwise known as a spinal tap.

“It was about eight o’clock and I made a perfect tap,” Lisa said.

“All of this applause started nationally and it felt like they were clapping for my perfect tap.

“It felt amazing.”

Unfortunately that was the only applause she experienced at the hospital for the next few weeks.

Though never diagnosed with coronavirus, Lisa was ill for the next three weeks, unable to work.

Lisa said the first Clap for Carers was 'amazing'. Photo: Simon Dack

So when she finally returned to help tackle the virus, it made sending patients home that much more special.

“I’ll always remember how happy everybody was when we were able to send people home,” she said.

“It was always a bit more emotional than usual.

“Though I was ill for a lot of the claps, the staff would come out of the hospital to hear everybody.

“It felt like everyone was understanding what was going on.

“Everyone got pulled into a difficult situation but everybody was working together.”

But everybody also had to make sacrifices.

“We haven’t seen my partner’s parents since last year,” Lisa said.

“The worry is always spreading it to your relatives. I’m on annual leave but I’m going to isolate a week before I see anyone.

“I was supposed to be seeing my family in Trinidad but I can’t go home to see them. I have to worry about them from afar.

Like many health workers, Lisa has not been able to see her family since the pandemic began

“That adds to the emotional baggage, not knowing when or if we’ll see our loved ones.”

So with cases in Brighton low and lockdown measures relaxing, how does Lisa feel about the future?

“I think we were lucky we didn’t have it like London had it,” she said.

“Brighton and Hove has been very good, people have really listened.

“I say that less now because the measures have been relaxed, but there’s the hope this doesn’t spark something else.

“Both my partner and I wear masks because we don’t want to be the ones who spread it to others.”

And with recognition of health workers’ efforts a hot topic, Lisa hopes nobody’s role in tackling the pandemic is excluded.

“I hope going forward we recognise all health workers,” she said.

“What about the cleaning staff or caterers? All of these people were pulled out of their comfort zone.”

Lisa spoke to The Argus in a personal capacity.

• The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund ​