What Matters to You Day 2023

Paramedic Student Logan Vaughan shares his experience of What Matters to You Day.

Hello! My name’s Logan, I’m a Student Paramedic at Glasgow Caledonian University on placement with the ALLIANCE for a week. I had the pleasure of Joining Tommy Whitelaw, National Lead on Caring and Outreach, for his visit to the Royal Alexandra Hospital on What Matters To You Day 2023. We met with colleagues from across the hospital, all involved in delivering excellent person-centred care, to hear about their experience of ‘What Matters To You’.

We met with the theatre team (after donning scrubs, much to our surprise!), where Tommy shared a bit about his experience, and why the question of ‘what matters to you?’ is so important. I spoke with an anaesthetic nurse who told me about some of the things the team do to ensure a great patient experience. I was particularly impressed by their “friendly faces” scheme, which was reintroduced after the challenges of the pandemic. Recognising the need for additional support during surgery, the hospital allows patients to have a trusted companion accompany them to the theatre. This simple yet powerful initiative eases patient anxiety and provides much-needed comfort throughout the surgical process. Considering that many people prioritize their family and friends when asked about what is important to them, this scheme is clearly of benefit for patient experience.

I was also pleased to speak to a student nurse who is close to graduating. They told me that they had in fact met Tommy before in their first year of study, and had included mention of ‘What Matters To You’ in their dissertation on palliative care! It was really interesting to see that What Matters To You’ is embedding itself in practice, even for those at an early stage of their career.

After leaving the theatre, we explored the stalls throughout the hospital, where great conversations were taking place between colleagues, patients, and caregivers. The walls were adorned with post-it notes and papers, with great responses to the question, “What matters to you?”. There really is a variety of different ways people answer, highlighting the importance of asking the question!

Our experience at the Royal Alexandra Hospital truly highlighted the commitment of its staff to building a caring environment enriched with intelligent kindness. It was a privilege to witness first-hand how the question “What matters to you?” was being asked throughout the hospital, fostering a culture of empathy and genuine connection between healthcare providers, patients, and their loved ones. Many thanks to Andrena Roberts and Joanne Findlay for inviting us along, as well as to all of the colleagues we spoke to!

More information on What Matters to You can be found here.

Irene Oldfather – Director of Strategy and Engagement says:
“Thanks to Logan for getting immersed in WMTY day alongside our National Lead, Tommy Whitelaw. Partnerships which put people and their stories at the heart of care and wellbeing are central to our third sector work and I hope Logan will take this experience with him on his paramedic journey, reflecting on we we listen to what makes a difference to peopke and families. It’s often the little things that matter the most!”

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