The Emergency Departments (ED) at Southmead Hospital and Bristol Royal Infirmary have received praise from patients in this year’s Care Quality Commission (CQC) Urgent and Emergency Care Patient survey, with both hospitals ranking in the top 15 of NHS trusts nationally for patients’ views of their overall experience.
Patients who attended the 120 Emergency Departments in England during February 2024 were invited to complete the survey, providing feedback on their experiences
Maria Kane, Joint CEO of North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, which run the hospitals, said: “I am delighted to see such fantastic feedback from patients about their experience when visiting our Emergency Departments, and I am especially proud to see both of our services ranking in the top 15 nationally.”
Patients who visited the Emergency Department at Southmead Hospital praised the team for its helpfulness and communication. Patients also praised the department for its waiting times, availability of food and drink and hospital facilities and environment.
Professor Steve Hams, Chief Nursing Officer at North Bristol NHS Trust which runs Southmead Hospital, said: “At a time when our service is busier than ever, I am incredibly proud of this result and how it reflects our overall aim of providing outstanding patient experience.
“Our Emergency Department staff work extremely hard to provide excellent patient care in circumstances which are sometimes very difficult, and I am so pleased their efforts have been recognised in this way.”
More than 30 per cent of eligible patients completed the survey, which was published by the CQC on Thursday (21 November). Some of the areas of good practice at Southmead which respondents praised were:
- Patients’ overall experience in the Emergency Department was positive, with 94 per cent of patients surveyed feeling they were treated with respect and dignity during their visit.
- Communication from Emergency Department staff was a particular highlight. 91 per cent of respondents said they had enough time to discuss their condition and treatment with a doctor or nurse. 92 per cent of respondents said they understood the explanation of their condition and treatment from staff and 94 per cent said they had confidence and trust in doctors and nurses.
The report comes as Southmead’s Emergency Department is experiencing extreme pressure on its services, with record-breaking numbers of patients attending during the past few months.
Anna Bell, Emergency Department Matron at Southmead Hospital, said: “We run a very busy emergency department, often seeing more than 300 patients per day. Due to the pressures facing the whole of the NHS, our patients often wait longer than we would like for treatment and transfer into the hospital.
“I am delighted to see our patients value the care delivered by the incredible emergency department team. The team really do work tirelessly to provide safe, compassionate and thoughtful care, and I am incredibly grateful for every ounce of effort they put in.
“The whole Emergency Department team is delighted with this result, as we know it reflects the efforts, we go to in caring for our patients in the best possible way every single day. I am especially proud of how many patients felt they were treated with respect and dignity during their visit.”
The report also highlighted areas for improvement around privacy and discussions with staff. 74 per cent of respondents felt staff helped with communication needs while in the Emergency Department; which was a lower score than compared to the last survey in 2022. Scores in patient privacy and discussing the need for further care and treatment also declined slightly.
The Trust will continue to develop the areas of good practice highlighted during the survey, along with building on the areas of improvement identified. You can read the report in full on the CQC website.