[R]esults of the 2017 National Inpatient Survey, published today (Wednesday 13 June) by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), demonstrate that continuous progress has been made to improve patients’ experiences at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.
A total of 1,200 surveys were sent to patients who used the emergency departments and were admitted to inpatient wards at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland hospital in Whitehaven with 540 patients completing the survey.
The survey covers a wide range of topics such as waiting times, privacy and dignity, cleanliness, the standard of care, staffing levels and discharge arrangements. The responses were then converted into scores out of 10 for each question (the higher the score the better) and then benchmarked against other trusts nationally.
The Trust’s average score is 77% which is an improvement from 75% in the 2016 survey. The Trust is in the top 20% of trusts nationally for 20 questions with many of the answers showing a continued improvement. Questions within the top 20% include patients feeling involved in decisions regarding their discharge, families being provided with all of the information they needed and patients being asked their views on the quality of their care.
Patient comments included:
“Staff were exceptionally caring and professional, very satisfied.”
“The staff were wonderful. They all work hard and are very caring. My stay was for six weeks. I was always made to feel special.”
“The service from the doctors, surgeon and nursing staff was first class from time of admission until discharge”
Stephen Eames, chief executive of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Our staff are working tirelessly to provide the highest level of care for our patients and I am delighted with the results of this survey which demonstrate high levels of satisfaction. While we will celebrate the results with our staff, we will also be focussing on areas where we still need to improve.
“I would also like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. This feedback is invaluable in ensuring we make continuous improvements in our services for our patients.
“Steps are already being taken to address some of the areas highlighted for improvement including ensure that all patients have the right information when they leave hospital and that their care does not stop once they are discharged.”
Georgia Wright, head of nursing, patient experience and engagement at the Trust, added: “We really welcome the feedback from the CQC on behalf of our patients. Every member of staff is here to ensure that patients are cared for as if they were a member of their own family.”
