Emergency Department colleagues who showed 'remarkable levels of compassion' recognised with Patient Hero awards
Three colleagues from Royal Derby Hospital's Emergency Department have been recognised as 'Patient Heroes' by Prem Singh, Chair at UHDB, after he saw their "remarkable levels of compassion and person-centred care" first-hand during an emergency visit with a relative.
Prem was at the side of his family member when he was rushed to hospital after falling seriously ill. During his visit to the Emergency Department, he was cared for by Dr Mohammed Abdelaziz, Consultant, Dr Becky Norman, Senior Doctor in Emergency Medicine, and Ashleigh Godwin, Senior Sister, who Prem said went 'above and beyond' for their patient, during what was a distressing time.
Despite it being a busy Saturday in the department, Prem said he witnessed 'a real sense of team spirit and camaraderie' amongst all colleagues who were organised and able to prioritise their workload, while ensuring they were attentive and caring.
Prem said his relative was 'in a terrible state, very confused and disorientated' but was brilliantly cared for throughout the process.
He said: "It was quite distressing for us as a family but every person we interacted with, took the time to listen to us and explain to us what has happening which was really comforting."
During their time in the department, Prem said he was struck by a number of touching interactions, but there was one in particular which he says was a demonstration of genuine care and compassion in action.
After noticing his relative’s oxygen levels were low and his hands were cold, Dr Mohammad knelt down on the floor next to him, taking the patient’s hands in his and rubbing them to warm them up.
Prem added: "It was really touching and compassion personified. The team did not recognise me and though it should not matter whether I work at the Trust or not, I could see the fantastic care on display throughout the department which filled me with a sense of pride."
Throughout their stay, the family were kept informed every step of the way of the scans, tests and further investigations he needed.
Prem added: "When in the department as a patient or with someone you love, you are feeling vulnerable, but the way in which the team provided care and stayed calm in that environment made a huge difference."
To recognise their compassion, Prem and his wife nominated the trio for Patient Hero awards, which Stephen Posey, Chief Executive at UHDB, presented them with last month. Although Prem was unable to attend personally, he dialled in via MS Teams so he could thank Mohammed, Becky and Ashleigh himself.
Prem said: "It was a pleasure to be able to thank colleagues who cared for my relative and to thank them personally for their compassion and care that not only made a real difference to our loved one but us as a family that day. I am sure this is true for our many other patients who need emergency care at our hospital sites.
"I know how busy and pressurised our Emergency Departments are, but the whole team were still able to deliver exceptional care. The levels of compassion and person-centred care we experienced during what was a worrying time, was remarkable, for which we are truly grateful.
"Thank you for all that you do, for so many patients, every day."
Would you like to nominate a colleague for a Monthly Making a Difference Award?
If you would like to nominate a colleague or team for a Monthly Making a Difference Award, please let us know.
Our Monthly Making a Difference Awards celebrate those who have shown exceptional care and who have delivered improvements across safety, quality, effectiveness and patient experience and demonstrated the Trust values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence.
There are three monthly Making a Difference Awards categories:
- Chief Executive Award – chosen by our CEO
- Patient Hero Award – nominated by patients
- Excellence Award - you can nominate colleagues and teams
You can nominate in two ways:
· By completing this new e-form which will be sent directly to our awards team >
· By sending a 300 word nomination, along with the name of the team or individual, their job title and where they work, to: uhdb.employeeawards@nhs.net