A NEW IDEA developed in Worcestershire’s hospitals which aims to ensure patients are called by their preferred name has won a prestigious national award.
The #CallMe project was recognised in the 2021 BMJ Awards, winning the “Digital Innovation Team of the Year” Award. The #CallMe project was spearheaded by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Consultant Anaesthetist, Dr Michael McCabe.
In hospital patients are identified in many ways – NHS number, date of birth, hospital number and name. The default is for patients to be addressed by their recorded forename, despite the fact that up to a third of patients prefer to be addressed differently.
The simple #CallMe initiative, launched in April as part of the Experience of Care Week, sees an additional section added to patients’ hospital identification wrist bracelets and name stickers, which can be completed with their preferred term of address, which will follow that patient throughout their stay in hospital.
Dr McCabe added: “We’re delighted to receive the 2021 BMJ Award. We would like to thank the judging panel for recognising the dedication of our hard-working #CallMe team in developing and evaluating a novel, simple, clinically lead digital innovation that can improve patient experience, not just in our hospitals but across the NHS and even outside of the UK.”
“The impact of interacting with an individual in the manner they are comfortable is even more significant in our vulnerable patient groups such as the elderly, the confused, post-operative patients or end of life patients.”
“The introduction of #CallMe is very simple, but it’s really important. We hope that it will give comfort and reassurance to patients that we respect their identity by addressing them with their preferred name and not assuming that they are most comfortable using their formal birth forename.”
On receiving the BMJ accolade, Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “#CallMe is a simple, clinically led, digital innovation which is having a profoundly positive impact on our patients, their families and their overall experience of care in our hospitals.
“I am absolutely delighted and proud that we are leading the way here in Worcestershire.”
In a recent audit of patients, it was found that one in four patients had recorded a different preferred #CallMe to that of their formal birth forename.
Paula Gardner, Chief Nursing Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted that #CallMe has been recognised by the BMJ for such a prestigious award, and is getting the credit it deserves.”
“Ensuring we are communicating with our patients using their preferred name is a valuable step in providing person-centred patient care, and helps us to develop a strong relationship with our patients.
“Patient respect, dignity, experience and care is the focus of our hospitals and of #CallMe and it shows how the smallest things can make the biggest differences to our patients and their experience in our hospitals.”
“To successfully implement this during the COVID pandemic is a credit to the team involved and their commitment and dedication to putting patients first. Being addressed by your preferred name can reassure patients and have profound ability to put patients at ease during what can be a stressful time and ensure all of our patients feel included.”
