Frimley Health NHS Trust employee honoured with MBE for outstanding contribution to healthcare
One of Frimley Health’s most senior doctors has been awarded an MBE in the King’s birthday honours for his outstanding contribution to local and national healthcare.
Dr Prem Premachandran, consultant in emergency medicine, was a leading light behind new emergency departments at Frimley Park Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital and is also a top advisor for healthcare inspectors the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
He was awarded the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the latest honours list announced on Saturday (17 June).
When he started as a consultant at Frimley Park Hospital 27 years ago Dr Premachandran was one of just two senior doctors in the emergency department (ED). Since then he has provided outstanding frontline healthcare services to the community and inspired countless colleagues with his dedication and compassionate leadership.
During his 11 years as the trust’s lead for urgent and emergency medicine he was instrumental in helping to design and delivering new multimillion pound EDs at Frimley Park Hospital in 2012 and Wexham Park Hospital in 2019, and led teams from both sites to gaining the top ‘outstanding’ CQC rating.
In the past six years as the national professional advisor for urgent emergency care in the CQC, the national regulator for health and social care in the UK, he has earned respect and admiration from the wider healthcare community.
During the COVID pandemic, Dr Premachandran created the CQC’s national emergency medicine specialist advisor forum, bringing together senior professionals from across the country to collaborate with the CQC and offer insight into the reality of delivering frontline urgent and emergency care. He received the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s President’s medal in 2021 in honour of his contribution to urgent and emergency care over many years.
Dr Premachandran, know to colleagues simply as ‘Prem’, said: “This honour reflects the hard work of so many people that have helped me to improve patient safety and quality of care in urgent emergency care. I have worked with countless people who have inspired me to work harder to improve patient care.”
Frimley Health Chief Executive Neil Dardis said: “Prem is one of our most admired and respected colleagues who has contributed so much locally and nationally for many years. We are very proud to work with him and delighted that he has been given this honour.”