Enter and view: Countess of Chester Hospital

Healthwatch Cheshire West conducted an Enter and View visit to the Countess of Chester Hospital on 15 January 2014.

Parts of the hospital viewed by Authorised Representatives on this visit included main reception, main corridors, other waiting areas, gardens and grounds. In addition, Authorised representatives spoke with members of the public, staff and service users.

The report notes that all corridors were clean and that signposting in and around the hospital was generally good although the visiting team felt that in certain areas this could be made clearer. Waiting areas were fit for purpose and, at the time of the visit, not overcrowded. Enter and View Authorised Representatives made a number of comments on door furniture and suggest that the accessible toilets located either side of main reception should be given a high priority.

The report also suggests that the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust should give the provision of parking improvements very high priority as well as the movement of vehicles on the site itself as most of the patients spoken to had concerns about this issue. One person commented that on a previous visit they had planned in a timeframe of 30 minutes to allow for parking, they had waited over 45 minutes to get a space and had as a result missed their appointment. Another said that they had followed signs and directions in literature provided by the hospital only to find that parking was now designated blue badge only in that area. It was also noted that one parking payment machine was out of order with a notice on it directing service users to A&E.

The issue of the accessible toilets was raised, with staff being asked to alert the Estates team, at the time of the visit. The report notes that Healthwatch Cheshire West had been contacted by the Estates team, the day after the visit, to confirm that they were rectifying this issue.