"Treated my daughter with the utmost respect"

My daughter has been under the care of Sophie (Specialist Orthoptist). My daughter has moderate/severe learning difficulties, with severe speech delay and communication difficulties, she also has health anxiety (significant experience of illness and death in her earlier years, alongside a number of continuing medical investigations and surgeries of her own) which can lead to increased anxiety before and during medical appointments.

Sophie was nothing short of amazing. Sophie's temperament, her skills and knowledge, alongside her genuine compassion for meeting individual needs was clear through ever visit. Sophie took time to introduce herself to my daughter, and to enable her to learn about her and through this her job and what she wanted  to do with the appointment each time. Sophie used many methods of communication to ensure my daughter understood who she was and what the appointment would entail. Sophie also spent time listening to the things my daughter wished to share with her and showed genuine care and interest. This was all before even looking near an eye.

Sophie took each appointment at an appropriate pace for my daughter, at times this mean speeding up, other times slowing things down, Sophie was entirely flexible throughout each appointment. Sophie involved my daughter at each transition, and gave her choice were possible over the order of tests or what specific aid would be used - all of these things enabled my daughter to trust Sophie, and allow the appointment to proceed.

Above all Sophie treated my daughter like a 10 year old - this does not always happen for her due to physical disabilities that cause her to be much smaller than her peers, yet she is 10, and she knows this. Sophie always ensured to speak to my daughter as much as to myself, and to seek her permission before proceeding. Sophie treated my daughter with the utmost respect, she demonstrated significant patience, kindness and care.

As a parent Sophie also provided me with information and reassurance throughout the time that my daughter was a patient of hers, and again showed much patience in answering any questions or queries I had.