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Sign up for NHS Change Day 2015!

The countdown has begun to NHS Change Day 2015 on March 11.

Chief Executive Simon Stevens made this year’s first pledge telling staff who gathered at Skipton House in London he would: “Help drive through change for people with learning disabilities”.

He added: “I fully support this campaign which is a remarkable social movement for change.”

It is hoped that Change Day 2015 can surpass both the 189,000 pledges of action made in 2013 and the phenomenal 500,000 made by individuals, teams and whole organisations last year.

Change Day is a grassroots movement for change backed by the NHS but instigated, developed and managed by frontline staff throughout the country.

It began with a single tweet two years ago and since then has grown into a remarkable success story.

The ethos of Change Day is that staff, carers, patients and partners of the NHS know best what the most significant and beneficial changes are with their environment.

Last year’s incredible number of pledges included hundreds of thousands from the public who were asked to take part by pledging to ensure they turn up for GP and hospital appointments – or to warn their doctor if they are unable to keep them.

This helped to address the problem of missed appointments which costs the NHS millions of pounds every year.

Examples of other pledges made last year included:

  • A paediatrician who tasted the medicines he was prescribing to his patients and, when he realised many of them were unpalatable, started working with his pharmacy to change the flavour.
  • A GP who spent the day in a wheelchair to understand how his disabled patients felt.
  • A midwife so moved by the care experiences of her own deaf daughter that she has pledged to do all she can to get basic sign language included in nurse training.
  • A surgical team who have pledged to make sure every child waking after surgery is greeted in the recovery room by their favourite cuddly toy.
  • An NHS doctor who has pledged to spend an hour “collared and blocked” on a spinal board to understand how his patients feel.
  • A group of doctors finding out what it feels like to have a gastric nasal tube inserted.
  • A doctor living on a special renal diet for a week.

As a grassroots movement, Change Day is also able to take part in and support other campaigns such as #HelloMyNameIs which is now backed by more than 100 NHS Trusts.

Getting involved could not be simpler: think about a positive change you could help make to the NHS and the people it serves and then just do it. People making pledges can log it at www.changeday.nhs.uk

Everyone and anyone can choose to make the NHS better through the changes they choose to make, by sharing them and inspiring others.

On Change Day, 11 March 2015 we will be sharing stories of changes that have taken place across the country. There will also be a 12 hour Changeathon taking place online from 7am to 7pm on Change Day.