Patient Survey Results
The vast majority of patients treated at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust feel the care they receive is good, according to an independent survey.
The survey commissioned by the independent health watchdog, the Healthcare Commission, asked adults who had been inpatients at Derriford Hospital and the Royal Eye Infirmary in the summer 2007 to rate various aspects of their stay and care.
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When asked, more than nine out of ten patients (92%) rated their care as either ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ or good. This also compares well nationally against an average figure of 77%. A further 6% thought their care was ‘fair’ and 2% responded ‘poor’.
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The majority of patients, 77%, also felt they were always treated with dignity and respect, compared to 78% nationally. A further 20% said yes they were treated with dignity and respect sometimes whilst 3% of patients said they were not always treated with dignity and respect.
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Confidence and trust in doctors and nursing staff at the Trust is high. In the survey, nearly nine out of every ten patients (87%) said they always had confidence and trust in doctors compared to 81% nationally; whilst 79% reported the same for nurses compared to 74% nationally.
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The number of patients who were aware of doctors and nurses having cleaned their hands between touching patients was higher at this hospital trust than nationally. 46% of patients reported doctors always washing their hands between touching patients compared to 40% nationally; whilst 54% of patients said the same for nurses, compared to 52% nationally.
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Four fifths of patients said they were always offered a choice of food and nearly half of all patients (47%) thought the food was very good or good. A further 32% of people rated the quality of food they ate in hospital as ‘fair’.
While the survey found encouraging and often improving results in key areas, it also provided insights that are or will be used to make improvements wherever possible.
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The perception of cleanliness in the hospital has improved since 2006 but is still below the national average. 46% of patients rated their room or ward as ‘very clean’ compared to 53% nationally; while 43% confirmed that the toilets and bathrooms they used were ‘very clean’ compared to a national average of 47%.
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As part of improving the physical environment for patients: a comprehensive programme of works is currently underway to upgrade our hospital facilities, examples of which include improving the flooring, painting the walls in public areas, better signposting, better sanitary facilities for people with a disability at the front entrance and upgrading our main entrance at Derriford Hospital. We are also improving our ward environments, particularly the sanitary facilities, through a number of programmes such as the Productive Ward scheme and the ward moves and deep clean programme. The Trust has already received many favourable comments from patients and staff alike on how much better the environment looks since the programme of works has begun in earnest. The Trust is investing a further half a million pounds per annum in its cleaning service in order to fully implement the National Specifications for Cleanliness in the NHS (April 2007). This will involve increasing cleaning frequencies for all ward areas.
The Healthcare Commission survey was a postal questionnaire sent out to adults who had been inpatients; 525 adults responded to the inpatients survey – a response rate of 62%. Both patients admitted as emergencies and patients booked in advance to have operations were included in the random sample. For further information please visit the Healthcare Commission website at www.healthcarecommission.org.uk.