Patient Engagement Day at Burnley General Hospital
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Healthwatch Lancashire held a patient engagement day held at Burnley General Hospital on 28 October 2015. Feedback was collected from 64 patients, relatives, and carers across 18 departments to understand their experiences of hospital services.
Overall, patients rated their experience positively, with an average score of 3.9 out of 5. Care and compassion from staff and the quality of medical treatment received some of the highest ratings (both around 4.3 out of 5), indicating that staff were generally seen as kind, professional, and effective.
Many service users praised staff for being friendly, caring, and supportive, and several departments (such as physiotherapy, fracture clinic, and X-ray) received particularly strong feedback. Patients often felt well looked after and valued the attentiveness of healthcare professionals.
However, the report also identifies several recurring concerns. The physical condition of the hospital building, including cleanliness, décor, and maintenance, was frequently criticised, with the building and environment receiving a lower score of 3.2 out of 5. Issues such as outdated facilities, blocked toilets, water leaks, and poor signage were commonly mentioned.
Parking and accessibility were also major concerns, with patients reporting difficulty finding spaces and navigating the site. In some cases, the distance between car parks and departments was challenging, particularly for those with mobility or sight issues.
Another key issue was waiting times, which some patients described as long or inconsistent, especially for appointments and certain clinics. Communication problems, including confusion over referrals and inconsistent information from staff, were also highlighted.
Despite these concerns, many patients recognised that the hospital was working under pressure and making efforts to provide good care with limited resources.
In response, the NHS Trust acknowledged the findings and stated that actions were being taken to address issues such as building maintenance, cleanliness, waiting times, and communication. They also emphasised ongoing efforts to improve patient experience and encouraged patients to report concerns directly to staff.