After another year tough year living with the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of people in Stockport, Cheshire and the High Peak will be taking the time to relax and enjoy themselves at home with family and friends. Some people still have to work on the day however, and this includes over 700 staff at Stepping Hill Hospital and local community NHS services, still busy at work and caring for patients.  

Those at work include nurses, pharmacists, porters, domestic staff, therapists, radiographers, and of course doctors too. One of these doctors is Dr Mariyah Ahmed, who is a specialist registrar in endocrinology and diabetes at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Mariyah is fairly new to Stepping Hill Hospital and this will be her first time working there on Christmas Day.  Mariyah will be working on her usual endocrinology and diabetes specialist medical ward, which has a number of patients who be suffering from a wide range of conditions including complications of diabetes,  diabetic foot as well as other acute general medical problems.  With reduced staffing on Christmas Day she will also be covering a wide area, including the acute medical unit and general medical wards.

Mariyah said “I’m proud to be working over Christmas with my colleagues, and I’m glad to be working with an excellent team. It can be tough having to be a patient and stay in hospital over Christmas so we all try to spread a bit of joy around on the day as well giving people the care and treatment they need.” 

While working on Christmas Day, Mariyah will take a well earned rest the day after. This is a doubly special day for her – not just Boxing Day but the day of her wedding anniversary as well. She will be glad to spend time with her husband who is also a doctor, Dr Yasir Jamil, and the rest of her family too.

For more on Mariyah and other local `Christmas Heroes` see the Manchester Evening News article and film on the link below. 

The NHS heroes giving up their Christmas Day to look after patients after a difficult year on the frontline during a pandemic - Manchester Evening News