Doncaster doctor dies from coronavirus in the hospital where he worked

Geriatric medicine specialist Dr Medhat Atalla was an Egyptian national who has been living in the UK for around 20 years. He had worked at hospitals across the north of England before joining Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in 2014.

Dr Atalla's death comes after plaster technician Kevin Smith, who was in his 60s, died from coronavirus at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, where he had worked since the 1980s.

The Trust's medical director Dr Tim Noble and chief executive Richard Parker have released a joint statement paying tribute to Dr Atalla.

“It is with immense sadness that we inform you that our colleague, Dr Medhat Atalla, has passed away following treatment for Covid-19 at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

“Dr Atalla became a full-time member of our Trust in 2014, when he was appointed as a consultant geriatrician on our Gresley Unit. We were fortunate to have worked with him for many years prior to this, since his arrival in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s, where he cared for many elderly patients in hospitals throughout the north of England.

“A hugely popular and respected colleague, Dr Atalla was a very special human being who practised medicine across three continents throughout his career, affecting the lives of so many in such a positive way. He was a truly gentle gentleman and he will be hugely missed by us all.

“We would also like to take a moment to thank colleagues who cared for Medhat during his illness, and who did all they could to care for and support him as he bravely battled Covid-19.

“As a Trust, we share our deepest sympathies with Dr Atalla’s brother and sister, and loved ones in Egypt, and we ask that the media respect their wishes during this extremely challenging time.”

A message from the editor - and how to subscribe for postal delivery of The Yorkshire Post

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor