Prince Charles: Country owes NHS 'debt of gratitude'

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the hospital just a week after getting their Covid vaccination

The Prince of Wales has told NHS staff the country owes them "an enormous debt of gratitude" for their efforts in the coronavirus pandemic.

He unveiled a plaque to say thank you to workers on a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham with the Duchess of Cornwall.

The hospital trust is thought to have treated the most Covid-positive patients of any NHS trust in the UK.

Prince Charles added: "We are very lucky indeed to have you."

"There are masses of people who are unsung and unseen heroes and heroines but we owe them such an enormous debt of gratitude and so many of you particularly.

"The pressures are huge," he said.

The Duchess of Cornwall speaks with members of staff

The University Hospitals Birmingham Trust also runs Good Hope, Heartlands and Solihull hospitals in the West Midlands.

It is thought to have treated 12,500 Covid-positive patients, with 10,000 of those being discharged.

Nathan Samuels, a consultant nurse at the hospital, said Prince Charles spoke to him on the visit about his admiration for their efforts.

"He showed a great deal of empathy, which was really refreshing and he seemed very genuine," he said.

The royals were met at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock

The royals, who got their first vaccine dose last week, also met, at a distance, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, in their first joint official public event for two months.

Mr Hancock told staff in the vaccine programme: "From the bottom of my heart, from everybody across Birmingham, across the country, we are really grateful and it is so wonderful, the spirit that there is in this programme."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock takes a selfie with the vaccine hub staff

The hospital trust has also recruited 1,000 patients for the vaccine trials.

They started a trial in February to see if giving people different Covid vaccines for their first and second doses works as well as the current approach of using the same type of vaccine twice.

• Prince Charles and Camilla get first vaccine

• Covid trial in UK examines mixing different vaccines

• Latest news from the West Midlands

Consultant Christopher Green, principal investigator for the trial, said he hoped their work would help people in their choice over having the jab.

"As we go through the trials, as we accumulate reliable data, hopefully that will help people come to a decision about whether to accept a vaccine in the future," he said.

Volunteers at the hospital in Birmingham are involved in a trial to examine the effect of taking different vaccines for their first and second doses

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?

• LOCKDOWN RULES: What are they and when will they end?

• SOCIAL DISTANCING: How can I meet my friend safely?

• SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?

• NEW VARIANTS: How worried should we be?