SEPT Supports the ‘Hello My Name Is…’ Campaign

South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is joining a massive social media movement launched by a terminally ill doctor from the north of England.

The ‘Hello my name is…’ campaign was spearheaded by Dr Kate Granger, a young hospital consultant from Yorkshire who works in elderly care, to improve the patient experience not only here in the UK, but across the world. Kate became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was in hospital. Her campaign on social media platform Twitter is inspiring nurses, doctors, therapists, receptionists, porters, domestics and staff in all roles.

Dr Granger, 33, has terminal cancer, and has made it her mission in whatever time she has left to get as many members of NHS staff as possible pledging to introduce themselves to their patients.

This campaign is simple – reminding staff to go back to basics and introduce themselves to patients properly. Kate talks about this as “the first rung on the ladder to providing compassionate care” and sees it as the start of making a vital human connection, beginning a therapeutic relationship and building trust between patients and healthcare staff.

The campaign is being endorsed by an increasing number of well-known figures including David Cameron,  Jeremy Hunt, the Countess of Wessex, Bob Geldof and Drew Barrymore.

Sally Morris, Chief Executive said “I am delighted to say that SEPT has signed up to this important but simple campaign. ‘Welcoming’ is one of the Trust’s values and an important part of our customer service strategy.”

Andy Brogan, Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Nurse, added “Sometimes the simplest things make the biggest difference to a patient. Simply starting a conversation with ‘Hello my name is…’ can help to reduce a patients anxiety and put them at ease.”

We have joined forces with more than 80 NHS organisations that have pledged to launch their own ‘Hello my name is…’ collectively during February. In our Trust alone we have around 7000 staff and serve a population of 2.5 million. That’s how many lives can be impacted by this as it spreads. The collective launch will boost the national campaign around compassionate care considerably, with 400,000+ staff potentially involved.

We are all connected by our commitment to engage and empower our staff to improve patient services through adoption of Listening into Action (LiA)®, and, as such, we are part of a formal network which enables this type of collective response. (Remove if not an LiA Trust)

The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals – where Kate is now working – are part of this network and their own launch of ‘Hello my name is…’ is central to this collective effort.

You can support Dr Granger’s campaign on Twitter by sending her a message at @GrangerKate, including your name and the phrase #hellomynameis. To find about more about the campaign, visit www.hellomynameis.org.uk/home.