Being responsive

For teams or individuals who respond to service users’ and others’ needs quickly, for example to eliminate unnecessary delays in providing treatment, care and advice.

Michael Downey, winner of the 2011 Staff Recognition Awards for Being Responsive, with Oxleas Chair Dave Mellish

Winner: Michael Downey

Michael is a volunteer with a bubbly personality who has clocked up thousands of miles over the past fourteen years transporting patients and carers to appointments and visits at Oxleas sites. He does this five days a week and sometimes at weekends. He was nominated by a member of staff at the Upton Centre in Bexleyheath which provides mental health services for older adults. They said:

“Michael will always go that bit extra for our service users, waiting whilst they receive treatment, returning for them a little later if they experience difficulties getting ready, noticing and reporting if a service user is not their usual self. It is almost as though there is nothing this gentleman would not do for our staff teams and service users and he does all this with a smile.”

Jo Neal, with Oxleas Chair Dave Mellish, at the Staff Recognition Awards 2011

Highly commended: Jo Neal

Jo works for the Greenwich Psychotherapy Service as Administrator and Receptionist. She was nominated by one of her colleagues who described her as “an extremely highly valued member of the team. Jo provides a very warm and welcoming presence to the patients who are referred to our service, both on the telephone and in person. As many of our patients are extremely anxious, this can often mean the difference between someone engaging with our service and not. She is sensitive in her dealings with patients, recognising and being respectful of their differences. Because of this, Jo can often provide insights into patients that add to the clinical picture and ultimately aid the direction of the treatment.”

Jo is also praised for keeping track of patients’ progress which prevents unnecessary delays in treatment and for her efficiency and helping the team to work well together.

Staff from the Urgent Care Centre based at Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup, at IndigO2

Commended: Urgent Care Centre

The Urgent Care Centre (UCC) provides urgent care for people who have injuries and illnesses that do not require treatment in Accident and Emergency (A&E). They were nominated for the way the team has responded to becoming a stand alone unit since November 2010 when A&E closed at Queen Mary’s Hospital with very little notice.

Staff responded well to changes to working patterns and hours of work and new ways of working that were necessary to make the UCC feasible with no A&E on the site. According to the nomination “they have become responsive to patient requirements by listening and learning and have improved the safety of the service.”