From taking patients to imaging one minute, to undertaking transfers between wards the next, hospital porters are vital NHS colleagues as Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Chief Operating Officer found out today.

Ned Hobbs asked if he could shadow the portering team at Walsall Manor Hospital in an effort to find out more about their important role.

“I have shadowed a variety of our teams since joining the trust including colleagues in Theatres, our Emergency Department, and our Medical Registrar on-call, and it has been brilliant to see our clinical services in action. I am also keen to better understand services that are traditionally more behind the scenes,” he explained.

“The hospital would grind to a halt without the efforts of our portering team. It has been really interesting to spend some time with them today to discover more about their role and I’d like to thank them all for everything they do, both for our patients and to support other teams at our trust. I’ve also had a good laugh with them!”

Porters Jon Morgan, who has been with Walsall Healthcare for seven years, and John Cartwright who has more than 14 years’ service, were among those that Ned spent time with.

Jon said: “It’s good that someone wants to find out more about us, and has shown an interest like this.”