The roll out of name badges that aim to improve communication between patients and members of staff has begun.

‘Hello, my name is...’ is an international campaign created by Dr Kate Granger MBE, a registrar in elderly medicine who developed terminal cancer at the age of 29.

Dr Granger started the campaign in August 2013 after she became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was an inpatient with post-operative sepsis. 

Kate asked frontline NHS staff to make a pledge to introduce themselves in future to their patients. She used social media to help kick-start the campaign and created the hashtag #hellomynameis. 

Speaking of the campaign at the time, Kate said: “It’s the first thing you are taught in medical school, that when you approach a patient you say your name, your role and what you are going to do. 

“This missing link made me feel like I did not really matter, that these people weren’t bothered who I was. I ended up at times feeling like I was just a diseased body in a hospital bed.” 

Hundreds of thousands of health workers from across the world now back this initiative for more personalised care. 

All staff at ROH have or will be issued with a badge, which prominently displays their first name and job title. The expectation is that staff should wear the badge at all times when at work, as part of the Trust’s uniform policy.

Chris Pointon, the co-founder of the campaign and husband of the late Kate, joined the Trust’s monthly Team Brief to virtually launch the badges.

Roko Skocic, Head of Patient Experience, said: “‘Hello, my name is…’ is an important campaign to our Trust as it helps improve the patient experience. It improves communication, helps break the barrier between staff and patients and initiate conversation.

“Having our first names on the badges, as opposed to titles or surnames, is key to removing hierarchy and building a rapport with patients and staff. Having our job titles on the badge supports the safety of patients by highlighting the roles we all play in the hospital, how we can help them and our commitment to patient-centred care.”

To find out more about the ‘Hello, my name is...’ campaign, please visit www.hellomynameis.org.uk