22 November 2006
Anyone with who thinks the NHS is universally inefficient should see what I saw this morning.One of the advantages* of being borderline asthmatic is that once a year I get to queue up with old people and chronic smokers to have a free anti-flu shot. At least that's the theory. The reality is different. There is no queue - and not just because old people and smokers are easy to shove out the way - it's because my local surgery have got the process exactly right.
I won't describe the whole system, but suffice to say that it is a production line that takes in people at the top and passes them through a five stage process with astonishing speed and kindness. (There's a word you won't often see in a description of a process).
1) Meet and greet (nurse 1)
2) Name check and vaccination card (nurse 2)
3) Read the safety guidance (with nurse 3 on hand to answer questions)
4) The actual injection (nurse 4)
5) Tea and biscuits (friendly old bloke)
It is a startling display of efficiency, but that's NOT the big thing. As I've said elsewhere I'm not a big fan of efficiency... it is too often used as an excuse to be shoddy, or inflexible, or just plain rude.
But the nurses use a bendy system... sure it's efficient, but there is enough flexibility there to cope with all of those who don't fit into neat little holes. Those who need help, or reassurance, or want to talk to a doctor.
And the first thing every single one of them did when they saw me was smile. That's the BIG THING. Efficient yes... but human beings who are there to help their customers... and I reckon they had about as many happy customers as they could expect considering they were sticking bits of metal in people all day.
"Are you feeling okay" asked nurse four... for the third time.
"Really I'm fine", I said, looking hurt. "I always look like this".
"Oh god, sorry... I didn't mean..." she spluttered, and then realised I was winding her up. Excellent. There's something about nurses, ya just gotta mess with them.
But the bottom line is that they could teach the rest of us a lot about the way to balance the dark side of efficiency with a bit of flexibility and a smile.
:-)
*there are always some advantages to everything, aren't there?
Posted by Nick Warren at 7:44 PM
