Life on the frontline suits Matt
Ask Matt McLean the best thing about his job and he doesn’t hesitate: the people.
As one of Solent’s longest serving receptionists, Matt has met thousands of patients, visitors and staff – and he loves the human contact.
Based on main reception at St Mary’s Community Health Campus in Portsmouth, Matt has pretty much seen and heard it all.
Over the years, he has become expert at recognising when patients or visitors might be feeling anxious and goes out of his way to greet them with a warm smile and calm approach.
Now Matt, who lives in Portsmouth, has been presented with a 25-year service award and voucher by his line manager Kim Barnes, on behalf of Solent NHS Trust.
Kim, Estates Locality Manager, said: “Along with the rest of our reception team, Matt plays a crucial role in welcoming people to our site.
“That first impression is so important and Matt’s face will be a familiar one to many patients and visitors.
“Over the years he has probably dealt with just about every situation under the sun. We are so lucky to have him here with so much experience and inside knowledge of all our teams and services.”
Matt joined the NHS in August 1997 as a clerical officer in the maternity department at St Mary’s, which was then part of Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU).
It was an extremely busy role with some fantastic colleagues – two of whom, Matt still works with today.
In 2009, he had to make a crunch decision when PHU moved its acute services from St Mary’s to Queen Alexandra Hospital.
He could move with them, or apply to be a receptionist at St Mary’s, where he had worked for the past 12 years.
Matt chose the receptionist route and successfully applied for a brand new post, which was then with Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust.
“With the support of three colleagues who also made the same decision, we built up the job from the very beginning,” recalled Matt.
“We made it a success and went on to spend a good many more years working together. Two of the three I still work with today and I thank Elaine Stockwell and Jean Draper for always being on this journey with me.”
Matt added: “The best part of my job has been all the wonderful people you get to talk to and this alone has kept me right here on main reception the entire time. I can’t ever imagine being anywhere else.
“Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I like a good natter!”
Matt said his job today was completely different from when he started, and was evolving all the time.
Among the most recent changes he has seen is the introduction of a new reception desk at St Mary’s, which he described as bright and cheerful.
“The configuration of the desk will certainly improve our working environment and we have had loads of positive comments,” he said.
Modern desks together with patient-friendly screening – designed to protect reception teams but also to allow two-way communication – are being installed at many of Solent’s main sites in a drive to improve the work environment for our frontline staff.