Listening: patient experience bulletin - mid 2018

Welcome to the third edition of Listening which provides an update on activities and events held within our hospitals to promote patient engagement and experience...

Understanding what matters to patient’s lies at the heart of delivering excellent patient experience and a quality service. In response to the increasing general media interest in the NHS, resulting from the publication of the Francis, Keogh and Berwick Reports, the Trust must aspire to assure patients, staff and the public that safe, high quality care and the overall patient experience/engagement agenda, is of paramount importance.

In the months of April and May the Trust held a series of Listening Events to gain valuable feedback from patients and the public about key issues. It was also an opportunity to promote development initiatives to improve service delivery at our hospitals.

The events took the form of drop in sessions and displays in the main entrance to the hospital and visits to the wards to meet and talk to patients and their careers. On average feedback was obtained from 20-30 service users on each day and both the events proved to be very successful.

This opening event was an opportunity to gather information from patients and carers via the listening wall and to obtain feedback on the carer’s passport. This passport is aimed at providing named carers with information on how to get involved in their loved ones care and what support to expect from the hospital. Feedback was very positive and we aim to launch the passport across the Trust in June.

Feedback comments

• Really good idea.
• It clarifies about the free parking.
• Really useful to plan discharge and very informative.
• Looks good, car parking idea great.
• Good idea, communication is key.
• Can you add in all social service numbers and up to date contact details for social worker.
• Good idea, easy to read.
• Good idea to be clear who is doing what, I was phoned at 8a.m and asked could I come in to and feed my dad his breakfast which was odd.

The day was also a chance for the speech and language and Acute Kidney Injury teams to raise awareness.

As well as the listening wall, the emphasis was on nutrition for patients with ISS providing a meal tasting event and the Dietetic team providing weight management advice.

Feedback comments

• Very useful information, this was the best detox advice for liver and kidneys’, thank you for the fact sheet and information
• Very informative and helpful ‘thanks’
• Very caring and considerate very helpful advice about diet. Would recommend to everybody
• Really good advice and feedback given, it was explained to me what each result means and how I can improve, thank you.
• Very informative and helpful it made me aware about fat, muscle • Very helpful and useful information, shocked how much 5lbs of fat looks and weighs
• Thank you for your advice, it was most helpful
• Good advice on type 2 diabetes
• Meals were very tasty
• Sometimes limited choice at mealtime
• Food can be a bit limited at times and doesn’t always look appetising
• No hot meal on wards at dinner time.

The emphasis was on the volunteering service. The 5 roles for volunteers where showcased at the event.

• Dementia Buddies
• Discharge Buddies
• Mealtime assistance
• Welcome & Navigators
• Befrienders and companions Feedback from Volunteers
• Excellent way to support dementia patients who are frightened and confused.
• Helping to feed patients, it is so important and talking to them and reminiscing.
• Very important that volunteers are present in the Linda Mc Cartney centre to support cancer patients.

In additional the bowel screening service were on hand to talk about and promote their service.

All inpatient wards were visited including wards 1, 2, 4,5,8,9 and 11 and a total of 25 patients were interviewed as part of a listening survey

Comments

Ward 1

• Physiotherapist really good
• Lovely Irish male Nurse he sat with me when I got upset

Wards 2 and 3

• Nurses lovely but I had to wait a while for pain relief and had to keep reminding nurses I couldn’t take it orally.
• Communication from the Dr could have been better (ENT patient) but Dr Alice is lovely

Ward 9

• Excellent staff
• Cleaner is very cheerful
• Communication from the Doctor wasn’t good.
• Food could be better the sandwich was stale

Ward 11

• Food is good
• Doctors take the time to explain

Ward 8

• Lovely and quiet at night
• Nurses are quick to respond

Ward 5

• The best ward I have been on
• Could not have been cared for better
• Staff fabulous, nothing is too much trouble

Ward 4

• I love it here
• It is a warm atmosphere and the staff really care
• Worried about the ward closure. Closing the ward would be a big mistake
• How will I cope if the ward isn’t here?

Accident and Emergency

• Staff amazing and so patient and don’t know how they cope.
• Husband had a fracture and all tests and treatments were complete within 3 hours, wonderful.
• A and E wonderful but understaffed.
• No pillows on ED had to fold up her coat for her mum.
• Need improve A and E waiting time.

Out Patients

• Rheumatology service is excellent
• Blood clinics, nothing to complain about staff are very friendly.
• Phlebotomy is very good.
• I can have my Vascular/Bone marrow/Diabetes appointments all on one day which is great for me.
• The Ronald Dhal centre experience very positive
• Phlebotomy / OPD K clinic I may wait a while but staff always let you know if there is a delay.

Linda McCartney Centre

• Very good experience. Good emotional support nothing too much to trouble.
• Oncology – Really good, would recommend service.
• Linda McCartney signage could be letter and car parking is poor.
• Ward 5Y day ward care staff excellent.
• Colorectal service very good. Professional staff.

St Pauls

• St. Pauls – Really great staff, brilliant.
• I have had 17 years of wonderful service. I would recommend the trust.
• Waiting times are too long the Clinic over ran by 3 hours.
• Poor communication I was asked to ring to find out if procedure was still going ahead and got no answer.

General

My Husband and brother have both been in and can’t fault it. I was able to come in and feed him, which was great.

Nurses could be more considerate when chatting at nurse’s station during night shift.

Car parking fees – too expensive.

Car park, drop off at front is problematic.

Q Park- Too much expensive. Can we look at short stay free i.e. half an hour?

Stop people smoking at the entrance

Smoking outside. Why are patients allowed to leave the wards?

Delays in take home medications.

All of the feedback and comments have been passed to the relevant Departments and we plan to hold a listening event each quarter to ensure patients and carers views are heard.

You said:

You would like to be able to contact a clinician with any concerns.

We did:

Introduced an urgent safety concerns helpline. Information around this can be found on the posters behind each bed.