Professor Peter Brennan and Wing Commander Ankur Pandya formally receive OBE appointments

Following the announcement last summer that two doctors from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) were being recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List, Professor Peter Brennan and Wing Commander Ankur Pandya have attended Investiture Ceremonies to formally receive their appointments. They were both awarded their OBEs by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, at Windsor Castle.

Peter, an NHS Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at PHU, and Silver Scalpel Award winner - the highest accolade for training across all ten UK surgical specialties - attended a ceremony earlier this month where he was presented with an OBE for outstanding contribution to Surgery and improving patient safety.

Proud to discover that this recognition was the first OBE in over 20 years awarded in the specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peter said ahead of the ceremony that it was going to be a very emotional and special day.

Reflecting afterwards, Peter added, “It was an utterly surreal experience, made even more magical by the morning mist surrounding Windsor Castle that morning. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to speak with Prince William, although I was so emotional that I can hardly remember it. This honour means so much not just to me, but for all the work my colleagues and I are doing to help improve patient safety across the NHS.”

Wing Commander Ankur Pandya, a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at PHU and member of the Royal Air Force, was recognised with an OBE for his contribution to international humanitarian work, educational services, and the Armed Forces. His investiture ceremony took place in October and he described the day as “both humbling and profoundly moving.”

Ankur said, “The ceremony’s intimacy lent a quiet dignity that allowed me to fully absorb the significance of the honour — a recognition not only of personal effort but of the collective commitment of my family, loved ones and of those I’ve worked alongside, both in the military and humanitarian sectors.

“Standing in those historic surroundings, amid the quiet formality and tradition of the occasion, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and pride, balanced by the awareness of the responsibility such an award carries. It was a day marked by grace, reflection, and sincere appreciation.”

You can read more about the work Peter and Ankur do by reading our news stories from when the King's Birthday Honours were announced:

• Surgeon recognised in King’s Birthday Honours for contribution to improving safety in healthcare
• Surgeon and serving member of the Armed Forces recognised in King’s Birthday Honours for contribution to improving access to care globally