Staff at the Royal Free London were celebrated for their continued hard work and dedication during what has been another remarkable year.

Lead governor Sneha Bedi welcomed members and staff to the event which gave them a chance to hear from key speakers about our achievements over the past year and the challenges ahead.

Sneha said: “The council of governors adds huge value to the Royal Free London. We are elected to represent the interests of our membership, to hold the non-executive directors to account, and to support the board of directors who are ultimately responsible for our performance.”

“Over the last 12 months the council has continued to carry out its statutory duties, such as engaging with our members and providing feedback to the board. Our highlights included approving the appointment of three non-executive directors, reviewing and approving the quality accounts and continuing our programme of medicine for members events.”

Mark Lam, group chair of the Royal Free London, and Caroline Clarke, group chief executive of the Royal Free London, celebrated staff for the dedication and commitment they have shown in getting our services back on track. They also thanked attendees for their continued support.

Addressing attendees, Mark said: “I’m very proud and privileged to be the chair of this wonderful organisation.

In the last 12 months, along with the rest of the NHS, our focus has been on getting our services back on track and providing the very best possible service for our patients. This has been a real challenge, especially after the exhausting couple of years our staff have had. But their response – and the response of the entire NHS – over the last year has been nothing short of phenomenal."

While reflecting on the extraordinary amount of work being carried out at the trust, Caroline added: “The Royal Free London is the most fantastic place to work. We are nothing without our staff and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to every single person that works at the Royal Free London.”

Tribute was paid to the Royal Free Charity for its support throughout the year – its Breaking Point appeal raised £750,000 to support COVID-19 recovery and staff health and wellbeing. They have launched their new fundraising winter appeal, Bring the Future Forward, which will support patients with cancer. We encourage you to visit their website to find out more and get involved by becoming a champion.

Professor Tim Meyer, director of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at the Royal Free Hospital, spoke about the how the new facility became a reality and the role it will play in transforming thousands of lives. You can find out more here.

Read our annual report and accounts 2021/22 on our website and watch the recording below.