*HEALTH*

🌟 Meet Brian, Receptionist in our Emergency Department

Hi, I’m Brian and I’ve been at the Trust for around two years, and I work on reception in the Emergency Department.

Before working here at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, I had worked for several different companies in public-facing jobs which has given me a good foundation for the people skills I lean on in my role in the Emergency Department.

I have long links with this hospital through my mum who got a job here when we moved to the UK from Botswana. She was a nurse in the Endoscopy department for the best part of twenty years, and as a child, it was definitely inspiring for me to see her supporting and helping people in the community. She’s very proud of me carrying on the Royal Berks ‘family tradition’, so shout out to my mum - Elizabeth!

I know everyone says this, but genuinely there is absolutely no such thing as a ‘typical’ day in the Emergency Department. The best word to sum the job up is ‘unpredictable’, you never know who’s going to walk through the door, or what help they’re going to need.

The traits I make sure I show at work are resilience, patience, and professionalism. We deal with people at some of the most charged moments of their lives - people who are upset, people who are angry, people who are confused. I try to treat every person who comes through the door how I’d like a loved one of mine to be treated. I empathise with how they’re feeling, and focus on how I can ease the path for them. It also helps to be part of a solid team, both as part of the reception, and the wider Emergency Department.

I think the reason I enjoy this job so much is because I know that what I’m doing directly helps people, and that feels really rewarding.