Dorset County Hospital patients share A&E experiences to improve care

Patients who have used the Accident and Emergency services at Dorset County Hospital have been sharing their experiences, in an effort to improve care there.

256 people have taken part in a survey by Healthwatch Dorset about the service they were given, how they ended up at A&E, waiting times, whether they were kept informed about their care during the visit and suggestions for making it better for future patients.

The results will also help with the plans for the new A&E department at the hospital, which is currently under construction.

Healthwatch Dorset say the comments they received were 'overwhelmingly positive', with almost three quarters rating their experience as 'very good'.

Patients said A&E staff treated them with care and kindness, and were professional, efficient, and organised; that communication was good and that the information and aftercare they were given met their needs.

But we're told there were 'common themes' in the negative feedback, including long waiting times for a small number of patients; unclear information, navigation, and signposting; a lack of comfortable facilities; and a lack of confidentiality and privacy for patients.

Despite those results, 38% of those surveyed (96 people) said that overall there was nothing the hospital could have done to improve their experience.

29% of people (75 participants) offered suggestions for possible improvement, which have been analysed by Healthwatch Dorset and passed on to DCH.

They've recommended some actions to improve patient experiences:

• The ongoing refurbishment of A&E should meet the needs people have raised in this research, including a request for more comfort and privacy for patients.

• Patients and their carers should be given a leaflet and online information about support available after leaving A&E, including a contact for follow up questions and information about the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

• The hospital should look at staff training and ways to improve staff morale, particularly for A&E reception staff, to make sure that patients are treated kindly and with respect, even when hospital staff are working in stressful circumstances.

• Signage and parking information should be improved.

• The A&E department should review the ways in which people are kept informed while they are waiting, including the use of volunteers to support patients who are anxious or distressed.

• The public should be made more aware of Weymouth Urgent Treatment Centre to help reduce the number of people needing to be redirected there from A&E.

DCH RESPONSE

Nicky Lucey, Chief Nursing Officer/Interim Deputy Chief Executive at Dorset County Hospital, has thanked Healthwatch Dorset for the report saying:

"The experience of people that use our services is really important to us, particularly as they have accessed services when we have been under pressure through the pandemic. Working with Healthwatch Dorset helps us engage differently with the population to really hear their voice to influence our quality improvement. I am pleased the report echoed our clinicians voice on the need for the estate development, which is part of our future estates strategy for the Emergency Department."

You can read the full report on the Healthwatch Dorset website.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.

• healthwatch dorset
• dorset county hospital
• a&e