A Good Hope Hospital Health Care Assistant (HCA) pledging to come into work ten minutes early if the ward she works on is short staffed has been selected as having the best idea for improvement during NHS Change Day this year.

This year’s NHS Change Day took place on 3 March with the sole purpose to urge NHS staff  across the country to challenge the status quo and ‘pledge’ to try something simple but different to improve patient care.

Good Hope Hospital managing director, Richard Parker, said: “During NHS Change Day, we wanted to encourage staff to submit their ideas on changes that could be made to their everyday working environment, whether to processes or practices adopted or much simpler changes that mean all the difference to staff and patients.

“Elisabeth’s pledge was chosen because it’s not complicated and sets the standard for others to not take each other for granted and be prepared to help and to work together as a team to solve problems.”

Elisabeth Betts, HCA on ward 7, which is an Acute Medical Unit short stay ward, said: “I’m really happy that my pledge has been recognised in this way.  We have a great team on ward 7 who work well together to make sure patients are comfortable and happy.”

The HCA was presented with a £25 retail voucher by director of local business In-Form Solutions, John Griffiths.

Last year a single tweet sparked a staff-inspired social movement that saw people take collective action, and in doing so, make 189,000 pledges. This year’s NHS Change Day has been even more successful reaching 403,881 pledges to date with a final deadline for staff to pledge of 31 March.