Dr Alex George has admitted being on the frontline for a second time round is ‘tough’.
The Love Island star, 30, appeared on Monday’s Lorraine via live link as he discussed the current coronavirus surge and revealed NHS staff are ‘exhausted’.
Following the tragic death of his brother Llŷr in July last year, the healthcare professional also shared his ‘desperate’ plea to hold a meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the near future about mental health education in schools.
‘There are growing pressures and numbers’: Dr Alex George has admitted being on the frontline for a second time round is ‘tough’ (pictured last year)
The media personality detailed his experience of working at Lewisham A&E as he said: ‘There’s growing pressures, growing numbers, I think there’s a great concern how many patients are being admitted to hospital.
‘I hate to be negative, but we are finding it tough to be honest. In the last week or so, we’ve had times when we’re really been at the game stick in terms of space and capacity. We have some room for expansion but there’s always a limit.
‘We need to be so careful and reduce how many cases there are and the spread of this virus. We don’t want to see a situation where we have to turn people away from intensive care.’
The TV star, who had recently announced his plans to leave his job after five years to begin a ‘fresh chapter’ training as a GP, confessed he and his colleagues are ‘burned out’ and claimed there are more staff who have contracted the virus.
‘I hate to be negative’: The Love Island star, 30, appeared on Monday’s Lorraine via live link as he discussed the current coronavirus surge and revealed NHS staff are ‘exhausted’
Tragic: Following the tragic death of his brother Llŷr (pictured R) in July last year, the healthcare professional also discussed implementing mental health education in schools
The Welshman added: ‘It’s a big part of what’s tough at the moment. First time around we were all very energised, now there are more staff with Covid, burned out. It’s gone on for a longer period of time.
‘We do have a good arsenal, good treatments. We are in a position where we can at least have optimism, there is a way out.
‘Having that light at the end of the tunnel, you can feel that in the work place. Back in March and April, we didn’t know when this would end.’
As host Lorraine Kelly, 61, touched the advancement of vaccines, the reality star said: ‘It makes you a bit emotional.
‘I think there’s a great concern how many patients are being admitted to hospital’: The media personality detailed his experience of working at Lewisham A&E
‘It’s gone on for a longer period of time’: The TV star confessed he and his colleagues are ‘burned out’ and claimed there are more staff who have contracted the virus
‘When you’ve seen people die of this horrible virus, to see a vaccine being rolled out that can protect people and save their lives, it chokes you up a bit.’
Elsewhere in the interview, Alex, who spent Christmas during London’s Tier 4 status, discussed the importance on implementing more teaching about mental health in schools.
He stated: ‘People put a brave on. I’m really worried about school children at the moment. If the risks outweigh the benefits, schools might need to close and that’s worrying for their mental health.
‘I’m desperate to speak to Boris Johnson and the educational secretary about what is going on in schools. I really believe there are key things that need to change. Covid has really highlighted the mental health issues in this country.
In the future: The Welshman had recently announced his plans to leave his job after five years to begin a ‘fresh chapter’ training as a GP
‘I hope, the Prime Minister, as busy as he is, might be able to find some time to discuss the ideas I have.
‘What I’d say to everyone right now is to look after yourself, look after each other. A lot of people have spent Christmas home alone. Keep your chin up, we will get through but do ask for help if you are struggling.’
Last week, the doctor used his social media platform to candidly speak about important issues after his brother Llŷr tragically took his own life.
He shared a snap of himself holding a handwritten banner reading ‘Boris let’s talk #mentalhealthmatters’ alongside his lengthy caption.
‘Let’s talk’: Last week, the influencer shared his ‘desperate’ plea to hold a meeting with Boris Johnson in the near future
The TV star said he has spent ‘months’ researching and speaking to charities and believes that mental wellbeing needs to be treated with the ‘same importance as core subjects such as Maths and English’.
He wrote: ‘DEAR BORIS JOHNSON, Our children have a right to receive quality mental health education and support that adequately prepares them for the world in which we live.
‘I have spent the last few months speaking with mental health charities, teachers, parents and education leads and we all agree that things need to change.
‘From my discussions and research, I believe there are clear areas that we can and must improve on.
‘Education and support for emotional and mental wellbeing needs to be treated with the same importance as core subjects such as Maths and English.
Call for action: Dr Alex had penned a letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to give more value to ‘support for emotional and mental wellbeing’ in schools
‘This has never been more important’: He said the issue has only become ‘more important’ due to the Covid-19 crisis, saying that each loss of life to suicide is ‘potentially preventable’
Anger: The campaigner also fumed that ‘our children have a right to mental health education’, arguing that ‘they deserve better’ as he vowed he would not give up
Support: The A&E doctor also reposted driven reactions from his fans, including teachers and practitioners, who argued that ‘not enough’ was being done to ‘protect mental health’
‘Happy and well supported children are much more likely to enjoy and engage in education and become well rounded adults and more able to cope with the pressures of modern life.
‘This has never been more important, especially with the effects of the pandemic.
‘Too many lives are lost each year to suicide, each one of them a potentially preventable loss of life. How many more lives must we lose before we act?
‘I would like to meet with yourself and Secretary of State for Education @gavinwilliamson.mp to discuss the changes which I propose. I look forward to hearing from you, Dr Alex George. Please tag @borisjohnsonuk and share to make this happen’.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
Family tragedy: Alex’s younger sibling (pictured R) tragically passed away aged 19 and was just weeks away from getting into medical school