Reimagining Observation as Connection: Five voices from Ruby Ward

 28th October 2025

Written by: Carlos Santos, Thamina Kahar, Aida Mumtaz, Ade Adewumi, Tumseela Masoud, Emu Reden, Sean Gardner,  Fabien Foulon, Cliff Black, Sukunarani Supramaniam, 

On Ruby Ward in Newham, observation is becoming something more — a chance to connect and understand.

Across the Ruby Triage Ward, staff are reshaping how they work with service users. It begins as a Quality Improvement (QI) project to enhance the quality of observations, and it’s slowly evolving into a powerful shift — from “checking on” patients to truly engaging with them.

We spoke with five members of the team about how this change is unfolding. See the video below:

Manager: Ade

Ade: “We get to know our patients more — they get to know us more as well.”

Ade has seen a visible shift towards a ward that feels more connected, calm, and collaborative. The project has encouraged staff to be present, curious, and reflective — turning everyday interactions into opportunities for meaningful connection.

Consultant: Tumseela

Tumseela: “Fifteen-minute observations can heighten anxiety. Therapeutic engagement helps people feel safer.”

For Tumseela, this work addresses something deep and clinical: traditional observation routines often increased distress and paranoia. By replacing rigid checks with flexible, therapeutic conversations, staff are helping people feel seen — not watched.

Staff Nurse: Emu

Emu: “When we see the Feelings Thermometer move, we ask — what happened? It starts a real conversation.”

Emu uses the Feelings Thermometer as a bridge for emotional connection. It prompts staff to notice small changes in mood and invite gentle, one-to-one conversations — transforming a standard observation into an act of care.

Pharmacist: Nathan

Nathan: “It’s amazing to see how engaged our patients are — even from a pharmacy perspective.”

Nathan highlights how engagement has become everyone’s business. Even brief medication reviews now begin with conversations about how patients are feeling, fostering a ward-wide culture of curiosity, safety, and care.

Social Therapist: Sean

Sean: “Therapeutic Hour is when we step out of the office — to talk, play music, or just sit with someone.”

Sean describes the Therapeutic Hour as a daily rhythm that protects time for human connection. It’s an hour when staff slow down, reach out to those who may feel isolated, and create moments of shared presence through conversation, creativity, and care.

📊 Data meets experience

The impact is slowly becoming visible in both the numbers and the stories. The team is now gathering further evidence around their testing concept that improving the quality of time spent with patients can transform both safety and wellbeing.

Observation turning into engagement.