While training i discovered one of the participants didn’t have full Teams or SharePoint access.

I said easy enough just call the help desk. I added if need be I’m happy to speak with them on your behalf.

So she did, and after what feels like half an hour, she’s granted access. It’s now about five minutes before session’s end, meaning that by the time she can start work we’ve finished.

She is most apologetic. I say don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s them, you can come back later. Do another course, I say, I’ll change the enrolment and if there are issues I’ll speak to your manager.

And now she is sitting still, head bowed, silent. And I see standing nearby her colleague who is a witness to what follows. I must confess I didn’t notice her before. And so I wait wondering what she’s going to say.

And now she’s opening up her handbag and taking out tissues. Stupidly I think she’s going to blow her nose.

And she doesn’t. And she doesn’t speak either. Because when she looks up her face is wet.

More apologies. I’m so sorry I’m upset, I’ve only been in the role a few weeks and finally something has been sorted.

I have nothing here. So i grab a chair, sit down, pull out my two handkerchiefs and set them in front of her. She takes neither as she thinks she has all the tissues in the world in her handbag. Which as it turns out she doesn’t.

I said I’m sorry, everyone I’ve ever known in the health system (bar two) all want to be there, as do you too and you need all the support you can get.

She starts talking. And now it all comes out. She was meant to have a role handover and the person had left halfway through leaving her with many cases but not the required background.

I asked if her boss could help. I may have asked if I could make a suggestion but I’m not sure (if I didn’t, I should have). She said he’s really supportive but didn’t know enough to help.

Now I’m saying I’m sorry, I know how you feel I was left in the lurch in another role.

She finishes, her colleague is dabbing at her eyes. I’m mixed now between feeling sad and increasingly angry at her mistreatment.

And she’s waiting for me now. And lamely, wrongly, half-heartedly, I reach out and shake her hand. Meanwhile my intuition is shouting at me: she needs a hug.

And I’m like I know she does but it’s bloody well work. So I don’t. And she leaves. I’m left thinking I couldn’t even help her in that.