All it takes is an introduction…

Last year York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust made a pledge to get onboard the '#Hellomynameis...' campaign which calls upon staff to introduce themselves to patients.  

The Twitter campaign was started by Dr Kate Granger, a terminally ill doctor, who became frustrated with the number of healthcare staff who failed to introduce themselves when she was an inpatient. 

This week, as Kate Granger undergoes her latest round of chemotherapy, the campaign has been relaunched. To show its support, the Trust has stepped up its drive alongside 90 other NHS organisations.

As part of the campaign York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is calling upon patients to not only introduce themselves to patients at every occasion but to ask the patient what they would like to be called. It is also asking staff to use the campaign as a reminder of the importance of always wearing name badges and how important it is to say your name when answering the phone.   

Emma Day, Assistant Director of Nursing, said “We need patients to know we are looking after them so they can develop that immediate connection. It will make the patient feel more secure and valued. I want it to happen with every interaction, for everybody who comes into contact with our patients.”

Patrick Crowley, Chief Executive, said: “Putting patients at the centre of what we do is at the core of our organisation’s values and taking the simple step of introducing ourselves to patients by name can make all the difference in building a relationship. 

“We are calling on all staff to support this campaign and to tell patients their names. This smallest of actions could make a significant impact to a patient’s hospital experience.”

Dr Granger, who now works for Mid Yorkshire Hospitals, believes: “It is not just about knowing someone’s name, but it runs much deeper. It is about making a human connection, beginning a therapeutic relationship and building trust.

“In my mind it is the first rung on the ladder to providing compassionate care. I really hope my legacy will be putting compassionate practice right at the heart of healthcare delivery every single day.”

Notes to Editors:

In December 2012, Dr Kate Granger, a registrar in elderly medicine, was an inpatient at Leeds General Infirmary, and noticed how infrequently health care professionals introduced themselves.

Dr Granger said: “As a healthcare professional you know so much about your patient. You know their name, their personal details, their health conditions, and much more.

“What do we as patients know about our healthcare professionals? The answer is often absolutely nothing, sometimes it seems not even their names. The balance of power is very one-sided in favour of the healthcare professional.”

Dr Granger, who has terminal cancer, started a twitter campaign #hellomynameis to encourage all healthcare staff to introduce themselves to patients and to tell them their name.

Follow Kate Granger on Twitter (@GrangerKate). Don’t forget to tweet #hellomynameis

03 February 2015