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My very first week as a doctor was the week of the 7/7 bombings.

I know from day one what terror attacks do to the emergency services.

An incredible amount of work goes into preparing for multiple casualties.

And the emergency services themselves can be very nervous. It’s a very daunting time.

But without fail, our emergency services step up.

It was no different during the London Bridge attack.

The policemen who answered - within minutes - the first call had no idea what they were going into.

It’s times like that you really do see the best of our services.

We must never take for granted the sacrifices they make.

(Image: Getty)

Each time there is a terror attack or a tragedy like Grenfell, we see our emergency services doing us proud.

You see off-duty medics, police, firefighters coming in to help their teams.

And that’s to save as many lives as possible.

I worked with Dr Martin Griffiths when I was at the Royal London and he’s a great example of this.

Martin was off duty when the London Bridge call came in.

He made his way there as soon as he heard the news.

It’s so important that people like Martin are recognised for their work.

And it was great he won an award at the NHS Heroes event, where he said he wasn’t the only one who should be thanked,

There are all the unsung heroes as well.

The nurses and paramedics who worked double shifts.

The hospital receptionists who dealt with worried relatives.

We all stand together. It’s not just about one or two people. Everyone stepped up.

I think also a lot must be said that it’s just not emergency service workers - it’s the public as well.

They do so much to help in these situations. The are so supportive of us and their response is amazing.

And in the aftermath they refuse to be cowed by terror, which is very important.

The London Bridge attack itself was an atrocity, resulting in the needless deaths of eight people, and the 48 injuries

It was a barbaric act of terrorism that I watched in absolute shock.

But it’s very important to reiterate that these cowards who carried out this act were not acting in the name of Islam.

They serve nothing but a sick and twisted extremist ideology.

We must do everything we can to root it out.

As a city and a nation it’s important that we stand together.