Bill, 90, praises 'amazing' Blackpool Vic staff after recovery from Covid-19

Bill Dobie, a retired company director, was the first male patient to be discharged from Blackpool Victoria Hospital after suffering from Covid-19 and said he will always remember the “angels” there who looked after him and nursed him back to health.

He said: “I went in because I had a urine infection but they tested me for coronavirus and it proved positive.

“I was originally in intensive care but then moved to the isolation ward and I was treated superbly.

“It was a bit of a worrying time obviously but the staff were amazing.

“A few years ago, I had a cardiac procedure at the hospital and I said then that I would never again hear a bad word said about the NHS.

“This time they surpassed that and I can’t praise the staff enough.

“The care they gave me was out of this world and I’m over the moon to be back at home now.”

After spending several days at the Vic, Bill is in self-isolation at home in St Annes, close to the Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club where he is a former captain and still plays regularly.

Along with saluting the staff at the Vic for their care and dedication, he says he is to offer some positive news regarding the pandemic which has so drastically changed our way of life.

He said: “I hope my story gives people encouragement for people at what I know is a worrying time.

“It is of course vital to follow the rules regarding self-isolation and social distancing to help the NHS and saves lives - but not everyone dies.

“Thank you so much for the care I received - our NHS workers really are special people and I am so grateful.”

Bill had just played a round of golf when he started to feel under the weather and by the time son Paul and his partner visited him a couple of days later – just before the lockdown – he was confined to bed with a high temperature.

“We thought dad had had a mini-stroke,” said Paul, well-known around Fylde as a musician. “We called an ambulance and the paramedic said it was suspected Covid-19 and we were advised to self-isolate while dad was taken to hospital,

“Dad prides himself greatly on his fitness, so it was a shock, but no praise is high enough for the care he received at the Vic and we think it is important to pass on some positive news about this illness.

“All the statistics we see relate to deaths - why not also give updates on how many people have recovered?”

Dr Jim Gardner, medical director at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to hear Bill’s positive story and I would like to thank him for his kind comments about the people who cared for him.

“I would like to join Bill in praising our staff who throughout the Trust are going above and beyond for patients in these challenging times.”