Hospital Life issue 2 - Barking Havering and Redbridge University ...

Initiatives
to cut
missed
appointments
A big improvement programme is underway to
make radical changes to our outpatient services.
The Trust wants to cut the number of missed
appointments which will, in turn, reduce waiting times
and hold-ups for patients.
A whole host of initiatives are underway, including:
• Allowing patients to book their own follow-up
appointments. If you need another appointment after a
set time, such as six or 12 months, you can get in touch
with us a few weeks beforehand and choose your own
slot. This will give you more choice, and cut the number
of people who miss appointments because they are not
convenient.
• You can now cancel or change your appointments
on-line. If you can’t make your clinic, or need to change
a date or time, you can tell us by logging on to our
website at www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
• We are taking part in a pilot scheme where patients
receive a follow-up appointment reminder on their
mobile phone. They will be sent a text to jog their
memory about an up-coming clinic visit, and this is
already paying dividends in the areas it is being trialled,
with far fewer missed appointments.
• We are looking at the possibility of using two-way
texting so that you can reply to these reminders to
confirm or cancel your appointments.
• Other ways of harnessing technology are also being
looked into, with e-mail reminders also on the cards.
• We have reviewed all of the Trust services which can
be booked directly so that your GPs can refer you
straight to us for a hospital appointment via their
computer. That means you can choose where and when
your appointment is, and won’t be waiting for a letter
to arrive telling you when to come along. The Trust has
now been recognised as having the best Directory of
Services in London!
• We have implemented new ways of cancelling clinics
so that, if the Trust has to axe an outpatient clinic,
patients are given as much notice as possible of any
change to their appointment.
This is an on-going programme which should see
waiting times cut further, and also fewer clinics overrunning.
New Christian prayer area
A new Christian prayer area is
available at Queen’s Hospital.
The Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd
David Hawkins, visited the hospital
to conduct a special service in the
chapel.
He was invited along to dedicate the
new St Luke’s Chapel, which is in
addition to the multi-faith prayer
room. Both can be used as an area
of worship or quite reflection.
The Bishop was given a tour of the
hospital and met staff and patients
before leading the service in St
Luke’s.
He said he was impressed with how
highly valued the Trust’s
own Chaplaincy team are,
and commended all of the
staff on how they dealt
with difficult and
challenging situations.
Trust Chaplain Tim
Coleman said: “The Bishop
knows how vital it is to
have somewhere like St
Luke’s – a place to retreat,
pray and seek solace – in a busy 24-
hour environment of a hospital like
Queen’s.”
The multi-faith prayer room is
located at the top of the escalator
on the first floor of the hospital.
St Luke’s is also on the first floor,
close to the maternity department.
• Pictured is the Rt Revd Bishop
David Hawkins with members of the
Trust’s Chaplaincy team, and Trust
Chairman Barbara Liggins.
6 H O S P I TA L L I F E