This week sees the first meeting of a new group of Emergency Department experts, our patients and their relatives.
Our ED team has become expert at change; trialing and implementing new processes and improving our staff and, we believe, our patient satisfaction.
But what does make an ED visit ‘good’ for our patients and their carers or families? Is it the factors we think should make a visit good- quick service, friendly and knowledgeable staff, or do our patients see things differently?
I’ve been walking through these doors (or the doors of other local EDs!) for the past 10 years. I recognise our staff and I understand our processes. I know where the toilets are and where we keep the extra blankets. What I’ve lost is that ‘first day’ feeling and with it the ability to truly see us, and our service, the way our patients do.
The Patient and Public Involvement group is a joint venture for the Emergency Department and EMERGE, our research group. Led by research nurse Rachel O’Brien and EM Consultant Ed James, volunteers with a range of health problems and experiences have been recruited to help fill our knowledge gap.
The first meeting takes place on Thursday and is entitled ‘Perceptions’. Are there any questions you would like to ask our panel about their perceptions of our service or us? Do you have any ideas for service improvement that you would like to put to the panel? If so, contact Ed or Rachel. The group is going to meet 3-4 times per year but can be contacted for advice between meetings.
This group opens a new and exciting chapter for the ED, channeling the expertise of our patients to help us improve the service we deliver.
Vive the EDvolution!