Beast from the East hero from Glasgow thanks NHS after premature arrival of baby girl

Ross McKinnon (41) and his team helped keep NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) doctors and nurses on the road by bringing them back and forward to their shifts at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in their fleet of 4x4s.

How did the NHS help him?

Four years on, Ross and his partner Rachael Gilmour (34) from Glasgow found themselves in the care of some of the staff he helped - as they became a family of three.

Rachael was carefully monitored from 20 weeks into her pregnancy, when it was discovered she had placenta previa, where a baby’s placenta partially or totally covers the mother’s cervix.

The priority for medical teams was to keep the baby in the womb for as long as possible to allow her to grow and her lungs to develop, without putting either baby or mum at risk.

Baby Mirren had to be delivered early by caesarean section after mum Racheal was admitted to hospital several times with bleeding. She arrived safely in the world on 4 February, weighing-in at a healthy 6lbs 9oz, but soon after her birth was rushed to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, for support for her breathing and body temperature.

‘Thank you’

Hugging his new baby, Ross said: “Now it’s my turn to say thank you to the doctors and nurses at the Queen Elizabeth. At the time of the Beast from the East, a lot was made of what we did. We knew we were doing a good thing, but we didn’t understand the gravity of the situation at the hospital and the difference we would make.

“While we were sitting in the intensive care unit I kept pulling my phone out of my pocket to check work calls. I explained to the nurse that a lot of people I worked with didn’t know I was there. She asked what I did and told her about the business. Then she said, ‘was that you who brought all of us guys in here during the Beast from the East?’ She remembered what we did. It dawned on me why the hospital needed to get these doctors in. They have such intense jobs with round-the-clock observation and care.

“I didn’t really understand before what those guys were doing, we knew it was crucial but now, being on the other side of it, seeing it from the distressed parents’ point of view, I understand why such a big deal was made out of what we did. Helping the hospital during the storm was only two days out of my life, but those doctors and nurses are in the intensive care and premature care units, making a difference 24-7.”

How did Ross help the NHS?

Jamie Redfern, NHSGGC’s director of Women and Children’s services said: “When the Beast from the East kicked off Ross reached out to us, saying he had a well-equipped 4X4 and if anyone was vulnerable or needed to get to anyone vulnerable call him.

“He decided to concentrate on helping the staff involved with premature care and intensive care. He and his team gave us 48 hours of their time; just incredible. I am so glad we could be there for him, Rachael and baby Mirren and we’re delighted she’s doing so well.”

Ross remembers he even found himself on a shopping trip to ASDA to get much needed supplies for the staff who were staying over in the hospital. The list included 45 pairs of women’s pants, tooth brushes and tooth paste.

Ross said: “I got some looks at the check-out! It was all worth it. They are absolute heroes and it seems ridiculous that a big deal was made out of what we did when what they do on a daily basis is life changing and life saving for so many families.

“I’m a first time dad and loving it. Mirren’s a wee dream.”

Rachael added her own thanks to the teams: “They are another breed of angels. Thanks to them Mirren is doing well. She’s a wee superstar. We couldn’t be more grateful.”