"A smile goes a long way"

As a regular attender at Opthalmology Gartnavel I am amazed at the technical care provided by the nursing staff I come into contact with. They are, on the whole professional, friendly and courteous. The more times I attend, there are a few things that have become obvious that I wonder if staff are aware of.

Some reception staff never seem to look happy to be at work, I have never seen them smile. They also spend time talking amongst themselves while checking you in. These are the 1st people that people using the service come into contact with and it’s almost like you are a bother to them.

Another thing is that the clinic signs all display the wait but once you sit in the specific area no staff speak to you except to put in drops. Remember this a clinic for people who can’t see. With drops in even more visually impaired. Other outpatient areas I’ve attended keep people updated and let them know verbally so that people aren’t anxious and know someone is bothering with them. Recently I sat next to a lady who couldn’t see with her drops in and couldn’t read English. She was really worried she had missed her name being shouted. I explained I was used to a 3 hour wait but this was her 1st visit. A nurse almost gave her into trouble when she asked about the time she waited. 

All in all a great service but I think a bit of work around communications would make this department excellent.