Hospital staff walked behind body of first colleague to die from coronavirus on the way to the mortuary

By Tara O’Connor, local democracy reporter

Hospital staff in Croydon walked behind the body of their first colleague to die from coronavirus as he was taken to the mortuary.

The heartbreaking story is told in a new film where Croydon University Hospital staff open up about fighting coronavirus on the frontline.

Dennis Thorpe, 72, was the first hospital worker in Croydon to die in April 2020.

He worked as a porter at the hospital for more than 20 years.

In the video, portering manager Arek Swidrow, said: “Dennis was a man of character, he was a proper decent guy. When he passed away everybody who could came out of the places they usually work just to say farewell to Dennis on his first journey to the mortuary.

“It was so nice to see so many members of our team just standing there to say goodbye or walking behind him.”

And James Tomlinson, deputy director of estates and facilities, said it was a shock to all staff.

He added: “Losing a member of staff early in the pandemic was a real shock to the system, as big a team as we are you feel it.”

A portrait of Dennis has been put up in the hospital as a tribute to the well-loved colleague.

Charlene Adade, radiology superintendent in the hospital’s emergency department broke down in tears as she remembered the loss.

“When Dennis passed away the team was devastated, we were so used to seeing him around the department,” she said.

“To lose him to this and in such a short space of time was just absolutely devastating. I think that will be one of the things we will continue to hate about this virus and will continue to stay with the staff.”