Positive feedback for NHS Western Isles

NHS Western Isles has welcomed the excellent outcomes from the Better Together Inpatient Patient Experience Survey, in which the organisation achieved some exceptionally positive results.

A random selection of 404 patients who had received care in the Western Isles over the last 12 months were recently asked about their experiences of services to help target improvements.

“97% on the cleanliness”

Better Together is Scotland’s Patient Experience Programme. It supports the NHS Board, frontline staff and patients in driving forward service improvement. The Better Together Programme highlights a commitment by the Scottish Government and NHS to delivering patient-centred care based on a mutual ethos where staff and patients are co-owners of the NHS and have a greater say in the way services are delivered.

More than 90 per cent of Western Isles patients answered favourably about the length of time they had waited to be admitted to hospital after being referred; the information they were given prior to attending hospital; and the time they had to wait to get a bed on the ward. Additionally, 92% of patients rated the hospital environment, care and treatment positively; and 94% of patients felt they were treated with care and respect. 92% of patients rated the staff they came into contact with positively.

The Board also achieved 98% positive responses against feedback on the cleanliness of the ward they were admitted to, and 97% on the cleanliness of bathrooms and toilets.

The results of the survey will be used by NHS Western Isles to inform the Board and improve service delivery.

“Focused  improvements.”

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive Gordon Jamieson said: “NHS Western Isles is delighted to have received such positive feedback from the people who use the services. No one knows more about the experience of receiving care than our patients and it is important to hear their views of the local services and how they experience their care.

“Better Together will help NHS Western Isles to tap into real life patient experience, and the results will support the delivery of a programme of continuous improvement which will, in turn, deliver high quality, safe and effective patient-centred care.”

He added: “Our aim is that patients have as positive an experience as possible when they are receiving care from NHS Western Isles. Whilst we are delighted that the results of this survey were generally so positive, we will be looking at the responses carefully so that we can continuously make further patient focused  improvements.”

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