AN OXFORD University Hospitals Professor has been Knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Keith Willet works at the Nuffield Hospital as well as his main role as national director for emergency planning and incident response for NHS England.

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As the strategic incident director for Covid-19, Mr Willet has led the NHS England response and ensured the NHS has been fully prepared for the surge in virus cases.

He has contributed directly to the work of COBR and the civil contingencies secretariat.

Mr Willet said: “I am very honoured to be recognised. I am also acutely aware of the very many good people in the NHS family who in recent times have given so much, and some, everything.”

He began his career in the NHS over 40 years ago, as a surgeon.

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He has extensive experience of trauma and emergency care.

In 1994 he co-founded the 24-hour consultant-residence at Oxford Trauma Service and helped improve Government policy on how to take care of older people with hip fractures.

In 2018 he was appointed the strategic commander to deliver the preparation of the NHS to leave the EU.

Then in January 2020 as strategic incident director he also took on the responsibility for leading the NHS response to the coronavirus pandemic across England.