Outpatients rate care good at QEH
OUTPATIENTS have rated Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the top 20 per cent of NHS hospital trusts for inspiring confidence and trust in doctors and nurses.
The Care Quality Commission’s 2011 Outpatient Department Survey showed most patients who took part felt they were treated with respect and dignity and given enough privacy when discussing their condition or treatment.
They were also happy with the way the purpose of medication to be taken home was explained to them and the explanation they were given for changes made to their medication.
A total of 454 QEH patients took part in the 51-question survey by answering questionnaires sent out between June and October last year.
Most of the answers gave QEH a similar rating to other hospital trusts in England.
Questioned about their overall impression, almost all outpatients who took part in the survey were satisfied that the reason for their visit was accomplished. They also said the overall care they had received was good.
The hospital scored less well on some issues.
They included patients who had been waiting longer than 15 minutes not being told how long their wait would be and patients not being told who to contact if they had any worries about their condition after going home.
Patients not receiving copies of letters sent between hospital doctors and GPs was also highlighted.
Director of Nursing Gwyneth Wilson said: “The survey gives reassurance that in the key areas our standard of care of patients is good and in some cases well above average and among the best in the country.”
She accepted additional work was needed in some areas to improve performance, particularly in keeping patients well-informed. “We have been working hard to achieve that,” she said.
n The East of England Ambulance Service, which covers West Norfolk, failed to meet targets for getting ambulances to emergencies in December – 19-minute response times were achieved on 93.7 per cent instead of 95 per cent of calls.
The union for ambulance staff, GMB, said crews were incredibly dedicated and would do everything they could to ensure ambulances arrived on time.
The chief executive of the ambulance service, Hayden Newton, said work was on-going to tackle delays at A&E which held up crews and vehicles.
Mr Newton said December last year was the busiest the service had seen.
Internal figures during the last three weeks of January showed clear improvements and 95.8 per cent of calls were reached within 19 minutes.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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