Birch Hill practitioner picks up NHS customer care Oscar

Andrea Lord and John Tucker.

An ophthalmic practitioner from the Pennine Acute Trust service at Rochdale’s Birch Hill Hospital has won a top award at the first North West NHS customer care ‘Oscars’.

Andrea Lord was nominated for her efforts in supporting patient John Tucker, who was particularly apprehensive about cataract surgery, even though without it he would have to give up driving.

Both Ms Lord and Mr Tucker were special guests at the Strategic Health Authority’s Stand Up To The Mic event, where Andrea beat off competition from across the North West region to win the ‘Magic Moment’ category.

Mr Tucker, a retired computer engineer who lives in Milnrow, admits that he would not have gone through with the surgery without Andrea’s constant reassurance.

He said: “I was petrified at the thought of having the operation - I don't like needles and I imagined they would have to clamp me down to keep me still. I kept phoning Andrea because I wanted to cancel it. Her nickname for me was ‘Nervous John’! I was really wound up but Andrea's reassurance got me through it. In fact, all the staff at Birch Hill were excellent. I don't recall a great deal about the operation but I needn't have worried - I'm just a big softie with a vivid imagination!”

Part of Ms Lord’s role is to ensure that patients who attend the pre-operative clinics are well-informed and fit to undergo surgery.

She said: “John was terrified about the cataract operation. I fully explained the procedure and gave him my number so he could phone me to ask any questions. On the day of his operation I went to meet him on the ward to talk him through the impending surgery and to help calm him down. The staff on the ward are great but I think he needed to see a face he knew.

“I was just doing my job. The majority of patients go through these procedures without a problem but some need that little extra care and that’s what we are here for.”

Andrea’s work will now be used as part of a two-year programme called Valuing Service Experience, which will be run for NHS organisations across the North West to raise customer care standards.

NHS North West, the region’s strategic health authority, has formed a team called Inspiration North West to lead the work on improving patients’ experience.

Mandy Wearne, Director of Inspiration North West and one of the award judges, said: "Andrea is a real inspiration. The thought of having to have an operation can be a traumatic experience for some. However, through her calming words, professionalism and caring manner Andrea has helped many patients come to terms with having to have surgery. She is a deserving winner of this award and a credit to her trust.”

The event, held to coincide with Customer Service Week, is part of a programme designed to ensure that the NHS maintains its focus on patients’ experience of services.

Ms Wearne added: “Recent efforts by NHS North West have focused on targets to speed up treatment, make it more efficient and bring it closer to where people live. Now it is time to look at what health care really feels like – both for the patients who receive it and the staff that give it. It is all a vital part of putting the pride back into the NHS, recognising what is good about it, and making improving patient experience a priority.”

Marian Carroll, Director of Nursing for Pennine Acute Trust, said: “The competition was designed to highlight the efforts of individuals believed to have gone the extra mile in either doing their job or giving special attention to patients.

“Andrea was a perfect example of this approach, and she thoroughly deserves this award. It was particularly good that Mr Tucker could join us for the event, because at the end of the day everything we do is about making things better for patients.”

Each year, about 3,000 patients have day-case surgery provided by the Trust’s ophthalmology service at Birch Hill Hospital, with about 80% undergoing cataract procedures. In addition, the service runs a daily outpatient clinic for new referrals and follow-up patients. The addition of a second theatre enabled the team to cater for around 600 extra day-case patients a year.

On winning the award Ms Lord said: “I was absolutely over the moon when I heard my name called out as the winner. I was a bag of nerves at the ceremony but it was a lovely thing to be nominated and I certainly wasn’t expecting to win.”