Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust signs up to national 'Hello my name is...' campaign

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust signs up to national 'Hello my name is...' campaign

Hello my name is...

Four simple words which immediately build a connection between a healthcare worker and a patient, and puts the patient at ease.

The “Hello my name is” campaign has been launched by Dr Kate Granger, a registrar in elderly medicine from Yorkshire, who became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was an inpatient last year.

Dr Granger, 31, has terminal cancer and has made it her mission to get as many members of NHS staff as possible, pledging to introduce themselves to their patients.

The campaign has already been endorsed by numerous organisations within the NHS and now The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which comprises North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, The Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary has signed up to the national initiative.

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, Deputy Chief Nurse at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We believe a confident introduction is the first step to providing compassionate care and is often all it takes to put patients at ease and make them feel relaxed whilst in our care.”

As well individual introductions, the Trust will also be concentrating on introductions to other members of staff who may be taking over on shifts, or assisting the patient that day, so that they know who they are dealing with throughout the care process.

Members of staff at the Trust will also be reminded to ask the patient how they wish to be addressed and ensure their name badges are visible at all times whilst on hospital premises.

To kick start the campaign 30 healthcare apprentices designed their own ‘Hello my name is...’ posters and discussed the importance of staff introducing themselves. They also held information stands to highlight the new campaign to staff.

Over the forthcoming months the Trust will continue to embed the campaign across the organisation through ongoing training and awareness raising for all frontline staff.