Frectally speaking

This month marked the sorrowful passing of a real clinical leader.

I had never met the lady, though her name and her reputation were well known in the NHS were I worked.

Her name was Dr Kate Granger, but she probably would rather be known as Kate.
Struck cruelly by an aggressive cancer, far too young in life, she saw medicine from both ends, both as a medical consultant and a patient.
During her care, she noted that the personal qualities of the staff that cared for her were occasionally missing a little something, like a polite introduction, “Hello My Name is….”.
I’m sure I must have been guilty of that myself sometimes, this simple yet key point was made clear enough to medical professionals in the past.

So she did something powerful about it. She acted locally and started a #HelloMyNameIs campaign where she worked, introducing herself to her patients to set an example and then a simple namebadge to go with it…

From her own local action, real change spread and spread and so the campaign has grown across the NHS and now to the Irish health service too.
She died on the 23rd July 2016 at the tragically young age of 34.
I expect the momentum behind her campaign will grow and grow. It is so simple and has proven to be so effective I expect it will continue to change the world of healthcare and make a real and meaningful difference to patients lives.

I never did have the honour to meet Dr Kate Granger, but by her actions I have to say that she has done more in her all too brief time on earth than most of us to make the world a better place.
The world of healthcare has lost a real leader, she was indeed the epitome of a clinical leader, as well as a lady, who changed the world.

May she rest in peace.