Gynaecology Service: Royal London Hospital

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets undertook research on gynaecology services at the Royal London Hospital. They spoke to 72 patients during 2019 and analysed 382 comments, including feedback gathered through Enter and View visits to the Emergency Gynaecology Unit, Ward 8C and outpatient services. Overall, patient opinion was predominantly negative, with 63% of comments expressing dissatisfaction. 

Patients were generally positive about the cleanliness of facilities, the hospital environment, food quality and the commitment of many staff members. However, experiences of care varied considerably. Many patients reported poor communication between departments and healthcare professionals, insufficient information about diagnoses and treatment plans, long waiting times, administrative problems and difficulties understanding who was responsible for their care. Patients with more complex conditions often felt unsupported and excluded from decisions about their treatment. 

Significant concerns were raised about the use of gynaecology ward space for patients from other specialties because of wider bed pressures. This affected patient flow, reduced access to dedicated recovery and counselling spaces within the Emergency Gynaecology Unit, and sometimes resulted in patients being cared for by staff without specialist expertise in their condition. Some patients reported feeling unsafe after being moved between wards without adequate communication, while staff described workload pressures and concerns about caring for patients outside their specialist area. 

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets recommended improving communication with patients and between departments, reducing administrative errors, improving waiting times, ensuring patients understand their diagnosis and care plan, reducing reliance on gynaecology facilities for non-gynaecology patients, improving access to dedicated counselling and recovery spaces, and ensuring patients know who to contact with concerns. The report concluded that staff were doing their best within an increasingly pressured system, but that rising demand and capacity pressures were affecting the quality of patient experience.