"Why trauma informed practice makes a huge difference"

I contacted Eastwood AMHT recently to ask for a duty CPN to call me and I specifically requested a female return my call. The receptionist's response was that it would be whoever was available. I explained I needed a female staff member and that my care plan documents the reasons surrounding my request. I also said the call wasn't of an urgent nature and if there was no female available then it could wait till one was free. The receptionist said this would be passed on. I'd already made five calls including; my GP, NHSGGC, NHS Inform that morning in an attempt to identify a solution and plan to what I was wanting to speak to the CPN about. I fully appreciate and understand the overwhelming pressures the mental health team are working under.hence my trying to find an answer elsewhere. These previous calls had resulted in me ending up in tears and this call only served to further increase my distress.

  

However, I have had similar experiences on multiple occasions with not only the Renfrewshire HSCP but various other healthcare services including NHS24, NHSGGC and worst of all the now obsolete crisis service;which has been replaced by NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and is somewhat of improvement but could still be better.

I decided to draw this to your attention as I am aware that the HSCP is undertaking TIP training to hopefully become a trauma informed organisation.  I have praised and commended this in a previous post on Care Opinion. 

Becoming a trauma informed organisation involves a huge shift in systems, processes and culture which require to be embedded throughout the fabric of the organisation; from the very top level to bottom for it work. It doesn't happen overnight but involves a journey with the leadership of an organisation playing the pivotal role and truly understanding and appreciating the value of working in this way and in fully committing by; enabling, empowering, resourcing and training all staff. In my opinion this most definitely should include reception and call handling staff who are the face and first point of contact for patients. They are so important,and often under appreciated, in setting the tone for all that will happen going forward and in many ways are intrumental in determining whether the patient will have a good or poor experience. Please be reassured the receptionist I spoke with in no way came across in this way and remained polite.

I am trying to highlight just how very important I believe the role of call handler/receptionist is in setting the tone and making a patient feel listened to, understood and they will try to help in a person-centered way that works for the individual. For people with a history of trauma the most important element in TIP is helping them to feel ‘safe enough’ to engage with services, based on my experiences it is often the small things and paying attention to detail which can be the most helpful. I have lost count of the number of times I have hung up, refused to engage, or have any further contact with a service or professional solely as a result of the way the initial call was handled. Often this has had extremely negative consequences for myself and when just a more understanding and compassionate initial response would have helped me to feel able to engage.

 

Conversley, a recent extremely positive experience I had a main reception staff member at Eastwood. This staff member exemplified how adopting TIP can make such a difference to a patient’s experience. Following a call to another AMHT receptionist, who again remained polite, but didn't seem willing to try to find a solution. I  called main reception to ask for assistance to drop of an item for my Consultant. I explained I just can’t enter the health centre due to my fear of being around people and that people wearing masks are triggering for me. I’ve pretty much been a ‘prisoner’ in my own home for the past eighteen months. The staff member used their initiative and went out of her way to help to facilitate this and to find a way around my difficulties. They met me at the far end of the car park, away from the entrance, when I called to say I was outside, came out immediately to save me from waiting around and even had the foresight to ensure their mask was removed. This staff member was so lovely,empathetic,caring and understanding and I wish to thank them for helping me in this way. I don’t know if they realised they were working in a trauma informed way but it was definitely underpinned as such, in the way they interacted,communicated and related to me. Thank you.

 

In my previous post I offered to help in any way the HSCP thought may be of beneficial to becoming a trauma informed organisation. I thought this may identify areas which you may want to look at. If you feel it would be helpful I would be more than willing to explain more fully and in greater depth as to how these very different interactions/communications with staff have on people who have experienced trauma and how it makes you feel and how it makes you react.