News

Professor Wei Shen Lim, BRC Respiratory Infection Sub-Theme Lead and a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), has been presented with an Honorary KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. 

Professor Wei Shen Lim became Chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in 2020, presiding over and guiding the largest and most successful vaccination programme in the UK.   

Professor Lim said: “The appointment is an incredible honour. I am very fortunate to have around me an amazing family, good friends and excellent colleagues, all of whom have supported me in large and diverse ways. Thank you to them too.”  

Professor Lim brought together experts and lay members to give the Government time-sensitive advice on the deployment of vaccines. At a time of national crisis, he adopted a calm, collegiate approach, bringing the committee to consensus on some of the hardest clinical questions, often in the face of limited data and the need to act at speed.  

Professor Veronica Pickering MBS HAC, Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, presented Professor Lim’s Honorary KBE and said: “It was a real honour and privilege to be able to present this Honorary Knighthood on behalf of His Majesty The King, to Professor Wei Shen Lim KBE. Congratulations and sincere thanks for everything that he has done in support of the COVID-19 Vaccination programme.”  

Professor Lim’s knowledge and expertise have proved immensely valuable to other clinicians, particularly in published papers and guidance resulting from his involvement in the internationally renowned RECOVERY Trial, which examined possible treatments for people in the UK admitted to hospital with severe COVID-19 infection.

Saving one million lives worldwide

It was at his recommendation that dexamethasone was included as part of the RECOVERY Trial. It would go on to be the biggest treatment success story so far, with the NHS estimating in January 2021 that it had already saved one million lives worldwide.

Since 2009, Professor Wei Shen Lim has been awarded over £14m in research funding, a very clear indicator of the regard in which his work is held.

NUH Chief Executive Anthony May OBE DL said: “It was an honour to witness Professor Wei Shen Lim receive his honorary knighthood on Tuesday 10 December. A pivotal figure in the fight against COVID-19, Professor Lim’s knighthood is a testament to his efforts and contributions to the nation’s vaccination strategy during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.  

“On behalf of Nottingham University Hospitals, I would like to congratulate Professor Lim on receiving this prestigious award and thank him for his outstanding public service.” 

Professor Lim played a key role in ensuring the public's very high confidence in the vaccine programme and his bold decision to guide the committee to a Priority First Dose strategy proved to be correct, saving thousands of UK lives and many further afield, where this strategy was copied.