THE influence and efforts of medical leader Professor Kiran Patel have undoubtedly saved countless lives through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The doctor, currently the chief medical officer, deputy chief executive and consultant cardiologist at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, has been at the forefront of guiding the organisation through the most devastating global crisis of a generation.

Driven by Patel’s leadership, the trust was nominated by Downing Street to be the NHS organisation portrayed in the media to signify how the services were coping well with the pandemic. His expertise has also seen him feature in the media on several occasions.

Recently he was invited by the NHS Confederation to share his views on patients’ backlog and ways to tackle health inequalities.

Besides working full-time for the hospital, he has been working hard to voice concerns on health inequalities during the pandemic.

The charity South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF), which Patel founded in 1999, has continuously fought for the needs of its community.

He has been at the centre stage during the pandemic with more patients demanding face-to-face GP appointments amid a backlash over the news that A&E departments were increasingly busy due to Covid-19 in Coventry and Warwickshire.

With the collaborative efforts of his SAHF colleagues, Patel helped to provide guidance on how to reduce risks of Covid-19 in BAME groups by working with the health services and ethnic communities. The comprehensive report led to an array of vital recommendations for individuals, communities, health services, employers, local authorities and government.

“It was an honour to be a co-author of the SAHF guidance which came out in the midst of the pandemic and see it used not just in the UK but globally to save lives,” Patel tells the GG2 Power List. He also highlighted the pleasure of being able