Patient praise continues for Dorset County Hospital teams
13 December 2021
Dorset County Hospital’s teams continue to receive praise from patients for their high standards of care.
Children and their parents have highlighted their positive experience at the hospital in the latest Children and Young People (CYP) Patient Experience Survey.
The survey, carried out by the Picker Institute on behalf of the Care Quality Commission, captured the views of 105 children and young people and their parents.
The results follow on from the positive results of the 2020 Urgency and Emergency Care Survey which ranked DCH as one of the top 10 trusts in the country for emergency care and the 2020 Inpatient Survey.
The CYP survey results revealed that 95% of children and 96% of parents felt well looked after by staff and 90% of parents felt staff involved and agreed their child’s care plan.
Patients and parents were eligible to participate in the survey if the children were admitted to hospital and aged between 15 days and 15 years old when discharged between the 1 November 2020 and 31 January 2021.
The hospital was rated above average in providing parents with written information about their child’s condition or treatment; having enough for their child to do; access to hot drinks facilities and being told what to do or who to contact if they were worried once home. Children also ranked the hospital food highly.
Parents also rated the overnight facilities highly, felt there was strong wi-fi for their child to be entertained and that staff were aware of their child’s medical history and explained how their child’s operation or procedure had gone. Parents also praised the level of engagement staff had with their child.
Areas where suggested improvements can be made included parents being able to prepare food in the hospital and children feeling able to ask staff questions.
Paediatric Matron at Dorset County Hospital Anna Ekerold said: “We are absolutely delighted by the results of the Children and Young People Patient Experience Survey.
“Our paediatric team work incredibly hard to ensure that both the child and their parents have a positive experience at our hospital. The results reflect the dedication and commitment of our staff and I am so proud of them.
“We were particularly delighted to see that 100% of parents said staff explained how their child’s operation or procedure had gone.”
Chief Executive at Dorset County Hospital Patricia Miller added: “This is yet another incredibly positive patient feedback outcome and I continue to be blown away by the amazing staff we have at our hospital.
“Patient feedback is vitally important in helping us to continue to shape and improve the care and experience we provide to our patients and we will be taking steps to address areas where improvements can be made.”
Click here to read the full patient survey results.
