New yellow name badges to help improve communication between staff and patients are now available on a pilot basis at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
The new badges – which are one of the first of their kind in Northern Ireland, have been rolled out across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Eye Clinics as a direct result of patient feedback.
The badges are bright yellow with large black writing which makes them clear and easy to read.
They feature the staff member’s name so patients and their relatives are clear about who they are talking to and who is treating them.
Mairead Casey, Patient/Client Experience and 10,000 Voices Facilitator for the Trust said: “We listen to feedback from patients and always strive to make improvements based on their comments where we can.
“A common theme in the feedback received via the Regional ‘10,000 Voices Eye Care Survey’ around communication was that patients didn’t know the name of the member of staff caring for them.
“We wanted something simple that would be clearly visible for patients and visitors to read which will support good communication. We chose yellow matt badges with black writing after consultation with the sensory disability team and service users as this is widely recognised as being highly readable for everyone, including people with visual
impairments.”
Jo Percival, Outpatients Sister for the Trust said: “Since introducing the badges we’ve been told by our patients that they’re much easier to read. They help to build trust and confidence and improve our patients’ experience of receiving care from us.”
The Trust supports the national #hellomynameis campaign for compassionate healthcare and is determined to ensure patients have a positive experience of receiving care.
Esther Gishkori said: “We’re hugely grateful to our colleagues in the Patient Client Experience and Sensory Teams for designing the badges.
“By wearing these eye-catching badges and ensuring they introduce themselves properly, staff are quickly establishing trust with patients. This is so important for ensuring patients have a positive experience of receiving care here.”
