The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) is celebrating the achievements of two colleagues who have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for their outstanding services to healthcare.

Chris Slater has been awarded an MBE for services to procurement during the Covid pandemic in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Chris made a significant leadership contribution right across West Yorkshire as an integral figure in setting up the Nightingale Hospital and ensuring that staff right across health and social care services in West Yorkshire and Harrogate were protected with PPE and had access to lateral flow tests.

Chris (pictured, right) led the approach to create local resilience and logistics – a legacy that continues to thrive at the joint stockroom Dolly Lane. The collaboration across partners built during the pandemic has been sustained, with Chris now leading wider work in procurement across all WYAAT and ICS NHS provider organisations.

Chris is clear that he is receiving this on behalf of the many colleagues across the system who played a part in the mammoth team effort of procurement and logistics to respond to the pandemic. He said: “It’s an incredible honour to be nominated to receive an MBE for working in the NHS, certainly not something I was expecting! Managing the supply chain throughout the Covid pandemic, including the provision of PPE and equipping the NHS Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber, was an absolute team effort that required commitment from so many dedicated people. I am delighted that the team’s efforts in supporting frontline staff at LTHT has been recognised.”

Julian Hartley, Chief Executive at The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), said: “Throughout the pandemic, Chris has demonstrated enormous personal commitment and leadership to ensure the continued safety of staff and patients in our hospitals. It is a true tribute to the diligence and expertise of his team that at no point during the pandemic was vital safety equipment unavailable to our staff.”

Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD, Chair of LTHT, said: “Despite a family bereavement and even whilst his son, an NHS doctor, was sick with Covid, Chris’s commitment to our staff and patients was unwavering, working 10-hour days, seven days a week, making hundreds of decisions each day under tremendous pressure. We have so much to be thankful to Chris and his team at LTHT, and this MBE is wholly deserved.”

Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of LTHT has been knighted for his services to healthcare over his 30-year career. Julian has become synonymous with a commitment to deep staff and patient engagement and was instrumental in setting up WYAAT and its subsequent leadership over the last six years.

Julian Hartley (pictured, left) said: “I have been thinking about how to respond to this honour and I am at a loss for words. I am overwhelmed to have received this level of recognition.

“Starting my career in the NHS was the best decision I could have made, and I have met so many wonderful people in my 30 year career. This honour would not have been possible without every patient and every colleague I have had the absolute pleasure to meet and work alongside.

“As we come out of the most challenging period for the NHS since its inception, we can see more than ever what is really important. A lot has been asked of our staff and our patients over the last couple of years, and I am committed to continuing to serve them all as we renew our shared purpose, innovate and become stronger, together.”