Creating a calmer experience for a vulnerable patient

Compassionate care and quick thinking helped ensure an anxious patient received the support and treatment he needed when accessing urgent care services in Oldham.

The patient, who is autistic and has a phobia of needles, presented at the Primary Care Streaming Service after being unwell for several weeks. Recognising the patient's anxiety within the hospital environment, Gail Sharp, advanced clinical practitioner, assessed the patient and arranged immediate blood tests to avoid the patient having to return for another appointment, causing further distress.

Gail said she wanted to do everything she could to make the experience less daunting.

“I liaised with the same day emergency care team, who agreed they could facilitate the blood tests,” she said.

“I also arranged numbing cream from the paediatric department and applied this before he was transferred to help make the procedure as comfortable as possible for him.”

The patient’s mum later shared her appreciation for the care and reassurance shown throughout the appointment.

To find out more about gtd healthcare's Oldham’s Primary Care Streaming Service, please email gtd.corporateaffair@nhs.net.