Lancaster NHS whistleblower Peter Duffy receives MBE for his work on the Isle of Man during Covid-19 pandemic

Peter Duffy, who works on the Isle of Man, was honoured for his selfless work during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2020.

The consultant urologist sat with dying patients when relatives were unable to visit during the coronavirus outbreak on the Isle of Man.

He also served meals and changed beds at the island's Noble's Hospital during the pandemic.

Mr Duffy was awarded the MBE for his "outstanding support to the Isle of Man during the Covid-19 pandemic".

The 60-year-old was accompanied by his wife Fiona, mum Jean and one of his three sons, Robert, for the trip to Buckingham Palace last Thursday.

The investiture was carried out by Prince William, who took the time to speak to Mr Duffy about his experiences during Covid.

The Isle of Man was put under a strict lockdown, and was one of the few places worldwide to completely eradicate the virus.

"He asked me about the Isle of Man and about the pandemic and whether I was Manx," Mr Duffy said.

"He came across as being very genuine and likeable, he was interested and focused.

"We also talked about what went on during the pandemic and the Isle of Man lockdown, and the impact it had on my family as I only got home twice in 18 months.

"Fiona very much held the fort when I was stuck in lockdown on the Isle of Man."

Mr Duffy said he was impressed by Buckingham Palace, which he descibed as "immaculatey decorated" and "very sophisticated."

"We were all very well looked after," he added.

During the Covid crisis Mr Duffy could not continue his usual surgical work and so he dedicated himself to helping patients and staff around the wards in whatever way was needed.

He fed and washed patients, served meals, cleaned and changed beds, attended Intensive Care twice a day to help ventilated patients feel more comfortable, and contacted the wards on his days off to check on patients' progress and staff welfare.

Mr Duffy also sat with and read to end of life patients to comfort them in the absence of their relatives.

He said at the time that he was determined he would "not leave somebody to die on their own on the Isle of Man" after reading about a teenager whose parents could not be by his side when he died because of the pandemic.

Mr Duffy previously worked within the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, but was forced to move away from his family and friends to find work after feeling shunned by the NHS in England following an employment tribunal.

We previously reported how Mr Duffy was left feeling sick at the sight of the NHS logo after a 10-year campaign against him left him ill and feeling unable to work in the NHS again.

He said his professional career was left in tatters after speaking out about allegations of medical negligence.

He has since published two books about his experiences as an NHS whistleblower.