Former Richard Huish College student, Gareth Hynes, who is a Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) and a Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List for Services to Medical Education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gareth, 36, who now lives in Oxford, attended Huish from 2000-2002 where he achieved his A Levels in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and an AS Level in History, before progressing on to Southampton University to study Medicine.

Clodagh Hynes, his mother, shared, “He loved his time at Richard Huish and it was such a good stepping stone to University. He enjoyed the respect that teachers and students had for each other which went hand in hand with the feeling of being treated as an adult. It is such a fabulous College at bringing the best out in its students”.

In addition to his roles at OUH and the University of Oxford, Gareth is now the co-chair of the Trainee Physician Committee for Health Education England’s Thames Valley Deanery and co-represents the region on the national Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Trainee Committee.

He was involved in organising the regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic for junior doctors, including pandemic preparation, the education of clinicians on COVID-19 and its clinical management, regular communication and information dissemination, caring for the physical and emotional wellbeing of colleagues during the response, and of course looking after patients with COVID-19 on the Respiratory High Dependency Unit. Gareth was also awarded one of the OUH Junior Doctor of the Year Awards 2020.

Prof Sir Jonathan Montgomery, Chair of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would like to congratulate Gareth Hynes for being recognised for his outstanding service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Junior doctors have played a key role in the NHS response to the coronavirus pandemic and so it is fitting that Gareth has been awarded an MBE for his important contribution.”

Richard Huish College Principal, Emma Fielding shared; “It is amazing to hear the wonderful journeys our students take after they leave us as we are so proud of Gareth’s wonderful efforts and contribution to the community. A large number of our students engage with our medical enrichment programme and he is a real inspiration of what they can go on to achieve”.