"Simple actions made a difference"

I have twice now recently had to attend Stobhill outpatients department. Once for a neck x-ray whilst in extreme pain and on the second occasion for an ECG, both stressful situations for me the patient but wholly routine for the hospital staff involved.

On both occasions the staff introduced themselves to me giving me a first name and spoke to me as opposed to at me. There was no big fuss or drama, just as you might expect when dealing with anyone under any other normal occasion but not what I have come to expect in my experience with hospital staff. Please don't get me wrong the staff I have experienced have usually been extremely professional, if extremely busy and little time for pleasantries.

I feel compelled to point out though the marked difference those simple actions made to my experience. I found my pain easier to deal with and could in turn respond much better to the radiographers requests, at the ECG I was match more relaxed and again found it easier to expedite/facilitate my part in the whole process.

I am sure this will seem to some a frivolous change for me I can't stress enough the difference it made to my experience.

I believe the system benefited also as I felt that the whole process on both occasions was conducted more efficiently (no requirement to wait for me the patient to catch up) and so took less time.