Dr Amal Paul, a GP partner at Roundhay Road surgery in the Harehills area of Leeds, was selected by colleagues, out of 500 city GPs, to receive the award for outstanding leadership to the city.

Dr Paul was instrumental in setting up a pop-up vaccination centre at the Bilal Mosque in Harehills, live-streamed on Facebook and did video talks to promote the vaccine to the community as well as attending health meetings every week.

He also worked with community and ethnic minority leaders and younger generations to communicate with older relatives about Covid.

Dr Amal Paul says he was delighted to attend the Civic reception and accept a certificate of recognition from the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Asghar Khan.

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“It was a shock when I received the letter to say I had been selected but it was a great experience.”

He collected his certificate of appreciation from Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Asghar Khan at Leeds Civic Hall on Monday.

Going forward, Dr Paul has joined several health inequality boards across the city to tackle other underlying issues in his area such as child obesity and lead poisoning.

He said: "It is my passion to work for the people who have health inequalities. I have been working for more than 35 years in the community. My origins from Bangladesh and when I graduated in the 1980s, I was the only professional GP for 30-40,000 people. I came here and have worked with the community of Harehills, I speak three languages so I know the suffering and inequalities.

"The COVID situation is changing so now I am working on health inequalities, especially from ethnic minority groups, and I am lead for Health Inequalities for the Primary Care Network."

Recognition at civic reception for a Yorkshire GP who encouraged vaccine take up in disadvantaged communities