You Made a Difference - July 2022

Louise joined the Phlebotomy team in March 2019 initially as a phlebotomist. When Covid arrived, due to health reasons, Louise was re-deployed to assist our Point of Care team with making up the vast number of Samba swab packs, which she was able to do from home. This was an essential role in helping us to keep up with the demand.

When this activity ceased Louise returned to Phlebotomy. It was felt that the drive through was the safest environment for Louise as it’s outside. Louise does an amazing job coordinating the volunteers in order to support the patient flow through the site.

If you are a new patient this can be quite a strange environment and some patients are anxious, but Louise makes a great job of reassuring them and she has a good banter with our regulars.

We see approximately 5,000 patients a month through our drive-through service and having to direct and control the cars is no mean feat!

We are very proud of our service and the success it has become and Louise, along with the volunteers, is an important part of the delivery. Well done to her.

Extracts from Louise’s nomination by a patient said:

“On a very hot day in July at approximately 10:30 I experienced my first ever visit to an NHS drive through blood test centre. Louise was marshalling cars into the facility at Newmarket Park and Ride. As soon as I pulled up, this cheerful smiling lady told me exactly what to do in a very polite and accurate way. I was about the 50th car in the queue looking at the ticket number I received and the digital display saying which car was next.

“I saw various cars trying to push in a little bit early! Louise handled them all without get hot and flustered. I saw people parking their cars and getting out and coming out, maybe thinking they could walk in and sit down and wait. Louise dealt with them all with a smile on her face.”

“I’d be grateful if you could pass our thanks on to Louise and the department, so that Louise knows that we really appreciate what she was doing. Thank you.”

Sandra, was instrumental in setting up the Early Pregnancy Unit 20 years ago and has developed the Unit to provide both early pregnancy and emergency gynaecology ambulatory services for women, as well as the Pregnancy Advisory Service, and has developed both the Unit and the team to the success that it is today.

Sandra has now taken the lead nurse role for managing the Pregnancy Advisory Service, supporting people with informed choices about their pregnancy and she retains a supportive role for staff within Clinic 24.

Sandra is an inspirational leader in terms of providing clinical support to her staff as well as working alongside them, providing excellent care for patients, sometimes in very challenging circumstances. She has also been supportive in terms of staff wellbeing, being as accommodating as she can be whilst managing an effective service.

Extracts from Sandra’s nomination from a patient said:

“During my recent pregnancy I suffered with extreme hyperemesis (sickness) and therefore spent a lot of my pregnancy in and out of hospital.”

“When Sandra realised the severity of my sickness, she quickly organised for me to have a pic line inserted and organised for me to have a dedicated person act as my consultant so that I could get a routine of IV fluids and IV Antiemetic’s through my line at home.

“I know I was quite an extreme case but every time I had a problem, she immediately came to the rescue and got me the help I needed.

“Without Sandra's support and setting up the care for the rest of the pregnancy, I strongly feel I wouldn't have got through it.”