Agenda item

To receive an update on patient experience work at BHRUT from the Trust Deputy Director of Nursing.

The head of PALS and complaints at BHRUT explained that there had been a large rise in the number of enquiries received by PALS. Many of these were due to issues relating to the new Trust computer system such as appointment letters being duplicated or not being received. IT solutions to address this had now been put in place. There were however still concerns about patients being able to amend appointments etc.

There had been an increase in compliments received compared to the previous quarter. The highest proportion of both compliments and complaints related to A&E. Information could also be provided anonymously on the NHS Choices website which for the first time had seen more positive than negative comments relating to the Trust. The positive comments related mainly to maternity and A&E. Negative comments related mainly to difficulties in telephoning the hospital and all comments were responded to by the BHRUT Interim Medical Director.

The overall number of complaints had risen in the last quarter although the Trust response rate to complaints had also improved in that period. It had been found that patient surveys by kiosk or hand held device had not received a large response so patient surveys were now completed on paper as this generated a larger response rate from patients.

As regards the Friends and Family test, BHRUT was achieving a score of 65 for adult inpatients and 42 for A&E. This was slightly below the target for adult inpatients and well below that for A&E. It was accepted that a lot of work was required to improve patient experience in A&E.

A lot of information for patients had been placed on the BHRUT website. A patient handbook and a bedside handbook of information were also being developed. Patients could also nominate individual staff members for recognition or pass messages and comments direct to the Matron.

Measures to improve patient experience included the appointment of two patient & staff experience facilitators who spoke direct to patients on each ward. Information was reported back to wards monthly and it was wished to increase this. Welcome boards were also being installed in each ward.

Future developments would include the introduction, as part of a national initiative, of patient headboards indicating if for example patients suffered from dementia or needed assistance at mealtimes. More easy read patient literature would also be introduced.

Following a pilot scheme, a bereavement questionnaire was being introduced which would be sent to next of kin eight weeks after a patient’s death. Departments were also asked to specify what they had learnt from complaints that had been reported. Patients were also beginning to relate their stories and experiences at staff induction and training and at Trust Board meetings.

A mystery shopper programme using real patients would commence shortly. Monthly patient experience reports were produced and the previous year’s survey responses were also analysed.

The BHRUT officer was aware that there continued to be complaints concerning the hospital telephone and computer systems. It was accepted that it was not possible to answer every phone call at present and further information could be provided on plans to deal with this.

It was clarified that the red tray and butterfly schemes to indicate patients who needed help with feeding or had memory difficulties would continue and that the patient headboards would be in addition to these. New methods of changing appointment via the Trust website or the PALS office were also being considered. The instances of people receiving a number of duplicate letters for the same appointment had been caused by the new Trust computer system and these had now reduced.

All enter and view reports submitted by Local Healthwatch were logged and the officer would check where these were presented to although this was believed to be BHRUT’s Quality and Safety Committee.

Patients comment cards were collected weekly from the wards. A recent instance of a number of cards completed by the same individual had been brought to the attention of the Ward Sister but it had not been possible to identify the specific patient involved.

The complaints and PALS teams had recently been restructured and there were now 3.8 whole time equivalent PALS officers and 2 PALS administrators. The PALS office at Queen’s was open from 10 am–12 pm and 2-4 pm and could also be contacted by phone or e-mail. People with urgent problems could be seen outside those times. The office at King George had been shut due to lack of staff but had now reopened from 10 am – 12 pm and would be open the same hours as the Queen’s office within two weeks.  

The Committee noted the presentation.