Outstanding patient experience is a primary priority and ultimately supports our mission to become the world’s leading eye and ear health service. Patients are why we are here, and the reason we do what we do, and it’s valuable to hear their frequent compliments.
Our feedback channels include the capacity for patients and carers to nominate an exceptional member of staff which form the nominations for our Annual Patient Experience Awards.
Announcing the winners of the Patient Experience Awards for 2024 took place during one of our monthly Staff Forums, focusing on the patient experience.
One of the winners was Xavier Reyes, a nurse from our Surgical Admissions and Recovery (SAR) team.
Xavier has worked at the hospital for many years and his name often features amongst the nominees for this annual award.
Upon receiving his certificate from Executive Director, Operations and Chief Nursing Officer, Leanne Turner, Xavier gave a moving speech that epitomises the care we strive to give to our patients every single day.
“Thank you very much for this recognition. Thank you to our manager, Mitch.
What can I say about patient experience? I’m just doing what I just normally do. If I’m the patient, I want the medical team to treat me how we normally treat our patients, with care.
We try to be the patients’ advocate, because patients come in here and they don’t really know what’s happening. So it’s up to us to be a carer and we try to approach our patients with holistic care.
One good thing I like about working on level two and SAR is we’re not just taking care of the patients, but we also take care of the carers. Because the carers have been waiting a long time for the patient to recover and go back home.
So it’s just a small gesture for us to offer them a cup of coffee and update them with what’s happening. So at least the carer will also remind us they’re doing something right.
One good thing about myself, is I think I’m a good observer. Whenever I get a patient and it’s their first time having their surgery here, like cataract, I make it a point that I try to leave a mark, that they will remember my care.
So I try to uplift them that they’re doing a good job with their preparation, because all patients are anxious, nervous and it’s up to me.
No matter how small those things are, I’ll try to uplift them and encourage them, that they are really doing a good job and it’s not easy for them to be here.”
Congratulations to Xavier for winning this award and to the other winners and nominees. Patients providing feedback make this event possible and we are incredibly grateful to patients letting us know what we have done well and what we can do better next time.
Would you like to provide feedback to the hospital? Visit our feedback page here.
