Listening to Patient’s Opinions at ULHT

Jennie NegusDeputy Director of Patient Services

• Had a few challenges recently………– Pilgrim Hospital CQC, NMC & Deanery.– Lincoln County Hospital CQC.

But, lots of work……e.g. at PilgrimFebruary 2011 Now

Warning notices – 2Major concerns – 2Moderate concerns – 7Minor concerns - 3

Warning notices – 0Major concerns – 0Moderate concerns – 0Minor concerns - 2

• How is that reflected day to day?– Complaints.– Survey results.– Letters to local papers.– Media………

– Staff impact.

• If patients and families read these how will they feel?– Lack of confidence…– Fear and anxiety…– Expecting poor care….

– And again – staff impact

• We weren't listening.................

• Imagine how patients felt when they posted their stories and saw that no-one had responded to previous ones.

• Poor reports about ULHT overshadow the good…….

• Pockets of really good work around patient experience.– Real time surveys.– Local service studies and questionnaires.– Focus groups.

• April 2012:– No overarching strategy.– Who was leading? – Time, capacity, priorities…..

• Now:– Pan-Trust Lead.– Strategy.– Patient Experience Committee.– Action plan and workplan.– Patient Experience & Engagement Manager.– ‘Patient Experience Toolbox’ – Patient Opinion is a

key component.

• Process for responding to Patient Opinion– Principles: who, why and how.– Lead responder receives alert.– Aim for response – or ‘holding response’ within 5

working days.– Reports & learning.

• Publicly viewable.• Valuable to the patient who told the story.• Valuable to others who may be reading.• Valuable to our commissioners and regulators in

understanding how we listen to and respond to issues raised.

• Patient Opinion has 329 ULHT stories in total. • Of these only 93 have been responded to by the

Trust and most of these responses were posted within the last 6 weeks.

Stories posted 01.06.2010 onwards

I am so sorry that your son, and you, have had such a difficult and worrying time and whilst you have said you feel better for 'getting it off your chest' it may help to talk through this some more and allow us to investigate the concerns you have raised. If so please contact us at patient.involvement@ulh.nhs.uk

Thank you very much for taking the time to give us your feedback and I am very pleased that you were well cared for and are recovering.

• Its about empathy and compassion.– What if that was me or my family?

• Genuine, open and honest.– Being truthful, saying sorry with meaning.

• Better late than never.– A bit embarrassing to reply so late….but can still

learn from the experience.

Actions speak louder than words…..

• Collate responses by site – sent to Deputy Directors.• Sites use within governance meetings.

Posted by Ness (as the patient), 16.05.12 Approx 18 months' ago I was referred to the Pain Clinic for acupuncture for pain in my left hip. I had just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. By the time I had my first appointment the pain had moved and was no longer in my hip but in my lower back. (With fibromyalgia pain moves around the body). The very young nurse who was doing the acupuncture told me that I had been referred for pain in my hip and so that is where I was to have the treatment. So I had approx 6 sessions with needles in my hip when there was no pain there. I attended each session as I did not wish to be struck off the list at the Pain Clinic. I was eventually sent an appointment which I needed to change so despite several calls to the clinic it was always an answerphone. I must have left at least three messages. I have never heard from them again. I have to say when I was having the acupuncture that I needed to change an appointment and again left a message on their voicemail but when I went the next time the nurse said "Oh, they don't always listen to the messages". Who gets the blame for that I wonder?

I am very sorry you have had such a difficult time. If you would like to further discuss your personal clinical symptoms and care then please do not hesitate to contact us at: patient.involvement@ulh.nhs.uk and we can arrange for someone to contact you. The answer phone is checked throughout the day and I am sorry you were unable to get through or to receive a response. I have discussed your experience with the specialist nurse at the clinic who has asked me to pass on her apologies too. Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us, your experiences are important to us as we work to improve and develop our services.

• Reports to Patient Experience Committee.• Reports to Quality & Safety Committee.• Reports to Board of Directors.• Reports to commissioners

• Using patient stories – locally and corporately.

• Feed into customer care training and planned review.

Thank you

Any questions?