Surgeon from Royal London gets NHS award treating London Bridge terrorist victims

A surgeon at the Royal London Hospital who treated victims of the London Bridge terrorist attack has received the ‘hero doctor’ accolade in awards celebrating the 70th birthday of the NHS.

Trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (left) at the ITV awards. Picture source: ITV/Mirror - Credit: ITV/Mirror

Martin Griffiths was recognised for his part in treating the badly injured in last year’s atrocity as well as his role saving lives on a daily basis of people who have been stabbed and shot.

Martin was off duty at the time of the London Bridge incident, but immediately left home on hearing news and made his way to the hospital’s trauma centre in Whitechapel.

One of the patients he was to operate on, by coincidence, recognised Martin from several years earlier when he had operated on his father.

Martin said modestly: “I am accepting this on behalf of Barts Health for the work we do to care for the community.”

Martin, a consultant vascular and trauma surgeon, leads the Trauma Surgery team at the hospital.

Last night’s ‘NHS Heroes’ awards for their skill and often life-changing work were announced at a celebrity event hosted by Paul O’Grady, being transmitted on ITV next Monday at 8.30pm, ahead of July’s NHS 70th anniversary.