It Makes All The Difference When A Doctor Introduces Themselves Properly

Compassion is made up of small details

"Medical care dispensed with compassion" would seem an obvious description of the work undertaken by doctors, nurses and other healthcare givers. Yet the small details that make up compassion can all too often be forgotten.

It took a doctor, undergoing treatment for a rare and aggressive form of sarcoma and finding herself on the other side of the fence, to experience and highlight what had been lacking in patient care.

In 2011, Dr Kate Granger and her husband, Chris Pointer, were on holiday in California. Kate had not been feeling well, but they thought the symptoms were due to travel and jetlag – until Chris found Kate writhing in pain. Renal failure was averted by American ER doctors, but a CT scan showed tumours in her abdomen and pelvis. The doctors suspected ovarian cancer, but on Kate's returning to the UK, a desmoplastic small round cell tumour was diagnosed.

Dr Granger was an elderly medicine registrar, working at the Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Her attitude to her patients was one of thoughtful, personal care through proper communication, which ensured that the patient was treated with dignity, was not patronised and was not just a bed number. Chris gave a typical example of how his wife approached her patients: "Looking into the eyes of patients to talk to them sometimes meant kneeling by the bedside."

During one stay in hospital Kate made the stark observation that "many staff looking after me did not introduce themselves before delivering my care." Like many cancer patients, Kate had begun writing about her cancer journey, and described how a nurse not only failed to introduce herself but also but held a conversation with other nurses while treating Kate. This lack of concentration, care and common courtesy angered Kate.


She wrote that "We had it drilled into us on day one of clinical medicine, learning that starting the relationship with a patient begins with an introduction. It was easy marks in our exams. I’m sure it is the same for nursing and other healthcare professionals too. But something has failed…"

Chris encouraged Kate to do something. The ‘something’ turned into a campaign called #hellomynameis, which began as a social media campaign in the UK but has been supported globally.

In July 2016, Kate died, but her legacy of #hellomynameis continues with Chris. He is continuing the campaign through conference talks at events and in hospitals around the world.

The campaign gained public support from David Cameron when he was in office and from Theresa May more recently, as well as from First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and a host of celebrities.

During her cancer journey, Kate wrote two books. In one of them, The Other Side, she describes coming to terms with her terminal diagnosis which gave her a ‘dismal’ prognosis of five years, graphically describes her treatment and details why there must be better communication with patients. In The Bright Side, she describes her innermost thoughts and explains why she believed in openness about dying. Kate was also convinced that her determined, positive attitude helped her to "survive well without treatment for such a prolonged period of time."


Sales of her books support the Yorkshire Cancer Centre or donations in her name can be made to YCC or St Gemma’s Hospice via JustGiving, and there are name badges, card holders, wristbands or lanyards for sale too.

To launch her campaign, Kate quoted what she always said to a new patient: "Hello. My name is Kate Granger. I’m one of the senior doctors who will be looking after you on the ward while you’re with us. How are you feeling today?’

So easy, so simple – but words which make an enormous difference to the patient who may be feeling vulnerable, frightened and aware that the balance of personal knowledge is skewed. As Kate wrote, "As a healthcare professional, you know so much about your patient. You know their name, their personal details, their health conditions, who they live with and much more. What do we as patients know about our healthcare professionals? The answer is often absolutely nothing, sometimes it seems not even their names. The balance of power is very one-sided in favour of the healthcare professional."

To encourage everyone within the healthcare world, Kate and Chris launched the annual Kate Granger Compassionate Care Awards, which, in 2017, included a special award for the doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and even health service managers from the NHS Trusts who helped those injured in the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the terror attacks in Manchester and London.


The NHS employs 1.7 million people and I suspect there will be far too many of the 1 million people treated every 36 hours who will have encountered less than compassionate care – but many NHS Trusts have pledged support for the campaign and, as the year turns, perhaps attitudes to patients will too.

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