Kenny Dalglish sends a clear message as he pays tribute to “absolutely brilliant” NHS staff

Kenny Dalglish has paid tribute to the “absolutely brilliant” NHS staff and thanked all those for their well-wishes after being released from hospital following a positive coronavirus diagnosis.

Dalglish was admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment on an unrelated infection, which turned out to be gallstones, before being given a routine test for coronavirus.

The 69-year-old had shown no symptoms but tested positive, ensuring he remained asymptomatic upon his release from the Southport & Ormskirk Hospital on Saturday, where he is now at home in self-isolation.

Upon the breaking of the diagnosis on Friday, Dalglish and members of his family were inundated with messages of support and well-wishes, which proved a “very humbling” experience.

And in his column for The Sunday Post, Dalglish was full of praise for the heroes on the front line.

“It’s never easy being in hospital but when you are in the care of our NHS staff then it is wholly comforting and you know you are in good hands,” he said.

“I had been in the Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust for a couple of days because I had felt very unwell at home during the week.

“I’m not one for making a fuss – especially in the current climate – but knew something wasn’t right. So, I went to the hospital to be checked over. Turns out I had gallstones.

“When I arrived at the hospital, as a matter of course, I was also swabbed for coronavirus and the result came back positive. I am asymptomatic as I experienced no symptoms of the virus.

“I had been self-isolating in the house for a few weeks so I’m honestly not sure how I got it.

“I was released from hospital yesterday lunchtime and I’m back home. I’ll self-isolate for another seven days or so. I’ll be resting but I am feeling fine, thankfully.

“The amount of good wishes and messages of support the family and I received in the past 48 hours was very humbling. It meant a lot to me, Marina, our children and grandchildren.

“I’d just like to thank the doctors, nurses and all the staff for looking after me. They were absolutely brilliant.”

And he did not stop there as, while quick to dismiss that his name provided any special treatment, Dalglish was in awe of the NHS workers and spoke for the many as he acknowledged that “we are all very fortunate to have them.”

“People may think the Dalglish name got me in and got me the best of care. Not so,” he added.

“I was looked after because the NHS staff treat everyone the same. They look upon everyone as human beings. Names and backgrounds don’t come into it. That’s the way it should be.

“The Dalglish family has always had the utmost respect for the NHS and the work they do. Being a patient in a hospital the past couple of days has only reinforced that for us with their knowledge, professionalism and compassion.

“As a nation, we are all very fortunate to have them and I wish them all well as they work tirelessly to help the country through this pandemic.

“The message from the government for the past three weeks has been to stay indoors and help save lives. Let’s make sure we all do that and follow the rules. We want the country to have some form of normality back as quickly as possible.

“Being true to the guidelines and not abusing the leeway given to us will help us get there that wee bit quicker. The NHS is under enough pressure without anybody adding to it unnecessarily.

“If we all do our bit in the coming days and weeks then we can look forward to getting back to work.”

It is brilliant to see Dalglish is feeling no ill effects of the virus and appears on the mend, and his words about the work being done on the front-line is heart-warming to say the least.

And his final message was clear: “I urge you to stay home and follow the government guidelines to the letter. This is undoubtedly the best way that we can look after one another at this time.”