NHS North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group supports the ‘Hello my name is…’ campaign

NHS North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is supporting a massive social media movement launched across the country by a local hospital doctor.

The ‘Hello my name is…’ campaign is spearheaded by Dr Kate Granger, a junior doctor in elderly care, who has worked in hospitals in Leeds and Mid Yorkshire, to improve the patient experience not only here in the UK, but across the world. Kate, who suffers from terminal cancer, set up this campaign after she became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was in hospital receiving treatment.

The campaign uses social media and Dr Kate Granger’s personal Blog to encourage healthcare staff to pledge to introduce themselves to every single patient they met. It is all about inspiring staff to be creative and use the idea to bring about a positive culture change within all care settings.

Her campaign on social media platform Twitter is inspiring nurses, doctors, therapists, receptionists, porters, domestics and staff in all roles. So far it has mainly been taken up in hospital settings but NHS North Kirklees CCG is encouraging their GP practices to support this campaign locally.

Dr David Kelly, a local GP and Chair of NHS North Kirklees CCG said: “This campaign is simple – reminding staff to go back to basics and introduce themselves to patients properly.  Kate talks about this as “the first rung on the ladder to providing compassionate care” and sees it as the start of making a vital human connection, beginning a therapeutic relationship and building trust between patients and healthcare staff.”

You can support Dr Granger’s campaign on Twitter by sending her a message at @GrangerKate, including your name and the phrase #hellomynameis.

To find about more about the campaign, visit www.hellomynameis.org.uk