Sneakers and seagulls – creating opportunities for person-centred connections at NHS Fife
Sheila McGovern, FoNS Person-centred Practice Facilitator
Sneakers and seagulls – creating opportunities for person-centred connections at NHS Fife
This blog began as a way for me to make sense of a stressful series of events that affected my family over the past ten days. Once everything had finally been resolved, I realised I was still carrying a sense of anxiety and tension. My mind kept replaying what had happened, and I could still feel that sense of speediness that an adrenaline rush can sometimes leave us with.
Writing has always helped me process things, so I sat down to reflect on the experience and work through my thoughts. It’s almost always the best way for me to regain a sense of balance after a challenging time.
What started as a time filled with worry and uncertainty turned into one of the most positive and reassuring experiences for both my husband and me. We were fortunate to experience person-centred care at its very best happening right here on our doorstep.
Today I am tipping my hat to the wonderful staff at NHS Fife, and especially to the team at The Victoria Hospital—better known locally as “The Vic” in Kirkcaldy. Their kindness, professionalism, and care made a difficult time so much easier, and I am so grateful to know they are there, doing what humans in healthcare do best every day.
One of the moments that stands out most from our experience happened during a visit to the Same Day Emergency Care ward (SDEC). Following a recent admission for possible cardiac symptoms, and with further symptoms continuing to cause concern, we were referred to SDEC, an amazing service which until then, I hadn’t even known existed.
After being shown to a bed space, we were approached by the medical consultant. As she introduced herself, she noticed that my husband was wearing the same style of trainers that her partner had. Smiling, she joked that because of that they were both probably going to get along very well.
It was such a simple observation and comment, but I watched my husband’s whole demeanour change. He smiled, laughed, and visibly relaxed. In that brief moment, she had made a connection with him that helped him remember he was human in this interaction and not just a number. It was a small gesture, but it had a big impact. Before any tests were discussed or questions asked, she had seen him as a person first, not just a patient. That connection set the tone for everything that followed.
She continued to role model person-centredness throughout the consultation. She listened carefully and with genuine interest, taking the time to fully understand what had been happening for him. Her observation skills were exceptional, and it was clear that she was paying attention not only to the symptoms being described but also to the wider picture.
As a result, my husband was referred for further investigations. What stood out for me was that he understood exactly what was happening and why. This wonderful human who was his doctor that day explained everything clearly, helping him feel informed and involved in the process rather than simply being told what would happen next. We were being brought along with the system, and it felt ok. It felt safe.
This positive, person-centred approach continued with the nurse who carried out my husband’s lying and standing blood pressure observations.
She completed the procedure in such a warm and natural way that it felt more like a conversation than a clinical task. As she worked, she explained what she was doing and why. Knowing there would be some waiting between readings; she chatted with us and shared her stories of watching the seagull chicks nesting on a nearby rooftop visible from the ward. It was a simple, everyday conversation, but again it made a connection with us and distracted from the potential worries that we might have around his blood pressure. It wasn’t what she was doing that was affecting us but how she was doing it.
It was a reminder that person-centred care is often found in the small moments—when we as healthcare professionals take the time to connect with people as individuals, not just as patients. I can’t finish this blog without mentioning another member of staff who came over to offer us tea on a few occasions while we were there that day. She was warm and friendly and shared that she was looking forward to attending the Highland Show the next day. We had previously attended, so more conversation ensued about goats, sheep and food. Who doesn’t love to talk about goats, sheep and food?
At one point during our time at the Victoria, we visited a café on the ground floor, and I noticed a sign for Values Based Reflective Practice (VBRP) – kind supportive group conversations for people working in health and social care.
Values based reflective practice (VBRP®) | Turas | Learn
I am a huge advocate for reflective conversations whether that be in the form of restorative clinical supervision, debriefs or however these are carried out. In my opinion they help staff work through the successes and challenges of working in healthcare. It felt reassuring to see the sign and that it was so visible to all that passed through the café.
So that’s our story of experiencing person-centred care and culture in the past 10 days. I am not naive enough to think that it is only happening at my local hospital, but I am delighted to know it is. From the friendly and professional Scottish Ambulance crew to the A&E staff where we were fed ham and cheese sandwiches with mugs of tea at 2am while we waited for results, to our recent visit to SDEC, we are grateful you are all there doing what you do best. Thank you! My husband has given me consent to share this story.
Do you have a person-centred story to share? Get in touch if you want to tell us about it.