Lord mayor reveals he has been in medically-induced coma

Paul Goggin hopes to be “a fully functioning” lord mayor again by November after revealing that he has had a number of serious illnesses over the summer.

Hartcliffe & Withywood councillor Goggin is a former rough sleeper who has battled mental health issues and now champions against the stigma.

Minutes after he was sworn in as Bristol’s lord mayor in May, he got engaged to his longtime partner Deborah Griffiths in the lord mayor’s parlour at City Hall before returning to tell the chamber she had said yes.

Goggin was admitted to the BRI in June with pneumonia that developed pleurisy.

In a statement recorded by Goggin that was meant to have been played at a full council meeting on Tuesday, it was revealed that the lord mayor has been in a medically induced coma, put onto a ventilator machine, and connected to an external blood oxygenating machine and a kidney dialysis machine.

“They’ve taken so much blood that I feel like I’ve been re-enacting Tony Hancock’s ‘Blood Donor’ sketch!” Goggin said in his statement released in full on the council website.

“And I’ve had so many scans that I probably glow in the dark!”

Goggin’s statement said he “wanted to let you know where I’ve been, why I’ve been there and to thank those that have been so supportive to both me, my lady mayoress Debs and to the city”.

Each of Bristol’s political groups take turns in holding the role of lord mayor for one year, which is a ceremonial position but they do chair meetings of full council and receive an annual allowance of £23,909 on top of a councillor’s annual allowance of £15,169.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that the NHS is rubbish because I’m proof that it ain’t!” said Goggin, who has already been announced as a Labour candidate in the May 2024 local elections.

“I want to thank all the marvellous doctors, nurses, radiologists, therapists, support staff and everyone else for their many kindnesses shown to Debs during what’s been a harrowing time for her and to thank them for the life-saving treatment that they’ve given me. I’ve invited them all for tea in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour.

“One thing the doctors can’t fix is the boredom (or the frustration) caused by not being able to do the job that I’ve so looked forward to and have enjoyed so much.

“I’d like to thank Paula O’Rourke, Steve Smith and all aldermen and previous lord mayors that have stepped into the breach in my absence.

“Thanks go to everyone in the Lord Mayor’s Office for rising to a challenge that nobody expected or anticipated. To council, both members and officers, you all have my gratitude. To friends; you know who you are. Thank you.

“You all want to know when I’ll be back. Well, that’s down to my physical rehab.

“I’m bored and frustrated and I want to start performing at least some of my duties as soon as I can. That’ll help with the rehab process. I’d like to think that will be some time in November and I expect to once again be a fully functioning lord mayor.

“To misquote Mark Twain – and this happens to him all the time – ‘rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated’.

“I wish you all the best, enjoy the rest of your evening; now sit down, shut up, and get on with some work!”

Main photo: Bristol City Council

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