St Helier Hospital A and E report

Healthwatch Sutton was approached by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust to see if a project could be carried out to collect the views of patients using A&E services. The request was in response to average scores for the Friends and Family Test despite good performance with regards to A&E waiting times. Healthwatch Sutton agreed undertake the project with the support of ‘enter and view’ volunteers.

Healthwatch Sutton analysed a large quantity of Friends and Family free text responses and identified the emerging themes. These were used to generate a series of questions about people’s experience of A&E. In addition, Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) asked for information about people’s experience prior to attending A&E. Further questions were added to address this area. During April and May 2018, volunteers visited the A&E department and offered patients 3 ways to complete the survey; on-line, paper (with freepost envelope) or a telephone call from our volunteers after they have returned home. Volunteers also visited patients in the Acute Medical Unit as all patients on this ward had passed through A&E. These patients were able to complete the survey, with the assistance of a volunteer, on the ward. In total, 12 visits were made to A&E and AMU by Healthwatch Sutton and Healthwatch Merton volunteers. Eighty seven survey responses were received.

Following analysis of the responses the findings highlighted:

For those patients that were told about waiting times, 54% stated that the wait was shorter than they were told, 41% stated the wait was about as long as they were told and 5% stated the wait was longer. On average, all staff groups were highly rated from 1-5 (1 – Very poor, 5 – Excellent). Receptionists 4, nurses 4.5 and doctors 4.5 on this scale. This is reflected in the positive comments received for each staff group. Only 2.5% of respondents stated that staff at the Emergency Department did not address the reason for their visit. Approximately, 20% stated their reasons were met ‘to some extent’. Nearly 80% felt that the reason for their visit was ‘definitely’ met. Of those that had waited in the Emergency Department (excluding ‘Don’t know/ can’t remember’), 58% stated that they were not told how long they would have to wait. Of the patients who gave an opinion on the fairness of the order in which people were seen in the Emergency Department, 78% thought that it seemed fair with the remaining 22% stating that it did not seem fair. Removing those patients who did not want pain relief, 22% stated that they didn’t ask for any but needed it and a further 5% stated they asked for it but didn’t receive it.