An extension of a campaign started by an NHS Doctor aims to improve our patients' experiences when using our hospital’s services.

“Hello, my name is…” was started by Dr Kate Granger, who passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer. Her campaign was designed as a way of improving first impressions when patients and their families come in to our hospitals and has been adopted throughout NHS trusts nationally.

Our Patient Partnership Council (PPC) agreed that, with patient experience at the heart of their purpose, development and use of this initiative should be a priority for our Trust. We know that patient experiences can vastly differ depending on by who, where and when they are seen.

After taking the initial step of introducing ourselves with “Hello, my name is…” we have now added three additional elements, creating a four-point guide of how we will introduce ourselves to our patients.

This is based on the expectation that every patient or visitor should be greeted in a respectful, polite and informative way that puts them at ease, and opens the door for them to ask any questions or raise any concerns. This should happen every time, by everyone in our organisation.

Every one of our patients is an individual who may be accessing our services for the first time. They may be scared, confused or worried. The moment it takes to introduce ourselves the right way can make all the difference to someone who is at their most vulnerable.

The initial impression a visitor makes will set the tone for the rest of their journey through our care. The first time they meet their consultant or nurse will inform the ongoing relationship they have.
We believe that with a set of simple ‘rules’ we can make a big difference to the culture in our Trust and that will have huge benefits to our patients.