#12DaysofHiddenHeroes: Hafizul Islam
In the lead up to Christmas, we're shining a light on #12DaysofHiddenHeroes.
On the third day of the festive season, we meet Hafizul Islam, a member of the scheduling team on Jasmine Ward at Newham Hospital.
“As a scheduler, together with my colleagues, it’s my role to make sure patients get booked in to their appointment as smoothly and quickly as possible, and to change or cancel them if needed. I also answer questions patients have about the procedure, their appointment etc.
“There are different roles in my team, which we all take turns to do. Our main role is to manage the appointments for endoscopies, colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopies and gastroscopies at Newham Hospital. These are different types of procedures that are used to diagnose different conditions, including cancer. People are referred in by their GP or someone at the hospital, we triage them, find a time that works everyone, and get them booked in. And we book in their pre-procedure Covid-19 test too.
“We also run the reception desk in Jasmine ward where these procedures happen, and we manage patients’ notes to make sure they’re up-to-date with all the relevant information they or their doctor might need.
Schedulers like me are essential to making sure patients get the procedure they need.
“I think it’s fair to say that even though a lot of people may not have heard of my role, it’s a pretty important one in a hospital. Schedulers like me are essential to making sure patients get the procedure they need as quickly as possible and to making sure the hospital runs smoothly.
“Something that might surprise people about my role is that I work a lot with people who have – or might have – cancer. If a doctor thinks someone might have cancer, they need to be tested as soon as possible – ideally, within two weeks. That’s where I come in – I work with these individual to get them booked in for their test as quickly as possible.
“When speaking to these people and explaining to them why it’s important we get them an appointment within two weeks, I keep in mind that they might be nervous or scared because there’s a lot of unknowns. I remember that they’re human and all humans have emotions. It’s not always easy, but I’m glad that I’m a part of making sure these people get the right diagnosis and the right treatment as soon as possible.
I’m proud of every interaction I have with patients
“I’m very proud to tell people I work in the NHS. I’m proud that my work is providing a service to the community and I’m proud of every interaction I have with patients. I’ve been in their shoes and love the fact that I can now help them with that they need. During the pandemic my role changes and – I liaised with the 111 service and had to tell people if they needed to isolate etc. It felt good to be able to play a part in helping us all get through.
“I’m a Muslim and so don’t celebrate Christmas. I won’t be taking a lot of time off, but the time I do have off, I’ll spend having some quality time with my family and friends. Life is short and for me, family is the most important thing so I spend as much time with mine as I can. I’ll also probably eat a lot of food and doing some shopping in the Boxing Day sales!”
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