As part of the NHS’s response to Covid-19 Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) called out to ex-employees to return and help relieve the pressure on the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rob Gee, psychiatric-nurse-turned-performance-poet and comedian, has decided to return to LPT to play his part during this challenging period.

He said: “I could not just sit here whilst a crisis is going on. I have the skills and registration to get back into work and I wanted to help LPT where I can.

“I qualified as a psychiatric nurse in 1994 and spent many years working at LPT. In 2006, I left the Trust to start a career in comedy which led me to leading the Brightsparks’ Comedy Asylum in 2008. The Comedy Asylum works with LPT’s Recovery College and the partnership is still ongoing.

“My day to day role now is a stand up poet and I continue to work closely with LPT which is great as I get the best of both worlds but this has also allowed me to maintain my registration making it easier for me to return to my previous position.

Rob has performed over three thousand shows all over the world, and has won multiple awards including ‘Best of Fest’ in Calgary, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Saskatoon Fringe Festivals.

“I have gone back to work at the Langley Ward (Bennion Centre) in the eating disorders service which is where I was based many years ago. Being back on the wards after such a long break feels a bit like being a newly qualified nurse again! There’s been a great deal to update myself on, but the support and mentorship from colleagues has been second to none. I couldn’t have picked a finer team of people to be working with. I have actually worked with some of them in the past!

Director of nursing, AHPs and quality, Dr Anne Scott, said:

“Like the rest of the NHS, our 6,500 staff are maintaining the delivery of critical services across all of our community hospitals, mental health and learning disability inpatient units and out in the community. Thanks to returnees like Rob, extra staffing enables us to safely staff wards and rapidly implement additional capacity in critical service areas, to care for patients who have or who are strongly suspected of having the virus, and who are in need of hospital care.

Alongside returnees and retirees, we are actively recruiting new staff and volunteers. If you are interested please visit our website www.leicspart.nhs.uk

During this unprecedented time for us all, we are extremely proud of all our staff for all of their hard work, professionalism and commitment.”

For more information please contact: Kartik.Bhalla@leicspart.nhs.uk