“Feedback from patients is vitally important if we are to improve our services,” says Head of Customer Affairs at Ashford and St. Peter’s, Jill Down.   “Picker, the independent organisation who undertake the inpatient survey for us, indicate that we have improved in a number of areas over the last year.  This is welcome but we need make sure that we take note and respond to the areas where patients tell us we can do better.   In particular we are focusing new efforts on noise from other patients and mixed sex bays.  We have established four key action areas:

·         Doctors

·         Nursing

·         Food

·         Admission and Discharge

We hope that the improvement some areas have already shown will continue in the next survey of in-patients which is due to start in June 2007 and that the action we are taking now will lead to improved results in the 2008 survey.”

Some of the improvements identified by the 2006 survey include:

·         Fewer patients (only 9%; down from 19%) are reporting that their room or ward was not very or not at all clean.

·         Increased confidence in doctors and nursing staff including recognition by 80% (up from 70%) of patients that staff are washing or cleaning their hands and only 11% of patients saying that doctors did not know enough about their condition.

·         Fewer patients (only 15%; down from 20%) concerned about a lack of privacy when they were examined or treated.

·         More patients receiving adequate pain relief (60% in 2005 now up to 71% in 2006).

·         Increased satisfaction with the arrangements for leaving hospital including increased numbers of patients (66% up from 59%) receiving adequate time to discuss their recovery.

·         91% of patients (up from 82%) would recommend Ashford and St. Peter’s to their family and friends.

Michaela Morris, Director or Nursing and Operations, comments: “We need to improve our position relative to other Trusts but the fact that 91% of patients would recommend Ashford and St. Peter’s to their friends and family speaks highly of our staff and services.   The improvements highlighted by the survey show that we are listening to our patients and making changes for the better.   We will continue to listen and learn.”

The Trust is already taking action in the area of mixed sex accommodation and this is covered by a separate statement issued on 10^th May 2007.