Enter and view: Bexhill Community Diagnostic Centre

Healthwatch East Sussex undertook an Enter and View visit to Bexhill CDC as part of a Healthwatch England project to assess CDCs.  They engaged with 27 patients and carers at the visit and undertook a survey to which 39 people responded.

The online survey recorded that 85% of patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience of their test of scan at Bexhill CDC. Scrutiny of the survey data suggests this could be higher as 5 respondents selected a response inconsistent with the rest of their feedback.

Overall patient satisfaction mirrors the staff survey, as staff rated the centre as 9.5 out of 10 for meeting patients’ needs. The staff survey recorded high levels of satisfaction of those working at Bexhill CDC. Staff highlighted the mixture of modalities all on one site, with different specialties working together developing new pathways.

All the data from the accessibility audit, fifteen step challenge, patient and staff surveys identified the quality of the facilities at Bexhill CDC as a significant factor in the patient experience. From a patient perspective, the centre is accessible, clean, calm and welcoming. For staff working at the site, the clinical areas are fit for purpose, designed with the patient and procedure in mind.

The patient surveys identified that an overwhelming majority of people (89%) travel to Bexhill CDC by car, and 77% of journeys take less than half an hour. This may reflect that 41% of respondents to the online survey were registered with GPs in Bexhill. A total of 92% of patients reported that Bexhill CDC was a convenient location, and there were no response differences based on people’s age or employment status.

The free parking adjacent to the centre is highly valued by patients and contributes to a less stressful experience when attending for diagnostic tests or scans. The accessibility audit and fifteen step challenge identified that there are no parking bays for disabled people who have a Blue Badge. One disabled adult fed back that they had to walk the full length of the car park. There is also currently no designated drop-off point for people arriving by taxi or non-emergency patient transport.

The accessibility audit identified there are limited public transport links to Bexhill CDC. There is a 5-minute walk to a bus stop for a very limited community bus service, or a 10-minute walk to the main bus stop for a more regular Stagecoach service. The train stations are both approximately a 15- minute walk to the centre. This may partly explain the reliance on cars for patients and staff. The staff survey also highlighted awareness of the limited public transport options for patients and staff colleagues.

The accessibility audit and fifteen step challenge recorded the use of pictorial signage on the toilet door and clear signage in the clinical areas. It was also noted that there is no suspended ceiling signage to the patient toilets in reception, or to the waiting area for phlebotomy. These observations were confirmed in some of the feedback from patient surveys. It was also noted that there is no clock in the reception area.

The accessibility audit and fifteen step challenge identified there is limited patient information in reception and the waiting area. There is a customer feedback form, but there is no information on who is working at Bexhill CDC or the NHS complaints procedure.

The patient surveys identified that 94% of respondents reported a waiting time of less than 6 weeks for their diagnostic test or scan. A significant majority of patients (73%) were seen within 2 weeks of their referral. The surveys identified 4 patients waiting more than 6 weeks for Echocardiography (ECG) 3 of which were referred by Cardiology at Eastbourne District General Hospital. These patient appointments would be included in the monitoring by NHS England.

The face-to-face patient surveys identified 4 patients were waiting for additional tests or scans. The blood tests for 2 patients could potentially have been completed on the same day as their appointment.

More than half of the people (55%) who completed the patient survey reported being offered a choice about the date and time of their appointment. This flexibility was highlighted as a positive in the patient feedback. Fewer patients reported being offered a choice about the location of their test or scan, but when asked about the most important consideration for them 63% of this cohort identified the waiting time as more important than the location of their test or scan. For 2 patients the quality of care they received at Bexhill CDC was the most important consideration.

The patient surveys identified that at least 70% of patient appointments were on time at Bexhill CDC. This figure is likely to be an underestimate of appointments on time, as some data is missing from patients who left immediately after their test or scan. The patient feedback confirms that the majority of appointments are on time and people experience the centre as an efficient well-functioning service.

The patient surveys identified that a majority of people (63%) are informed what will happen next after their appointment. A small number of people are not aware of what will happen next, and this was reflected in some qualitative patient feedback.

The patient surveys identified that there is increasing awareness of Community Diagnostic Centres, and more than half of the people we spoke to now have positive expectations of attending Bexhill CDC. There is still a significant minority of people (36%) who have not heard of CDC’s. The staff survey also highlighted that although the patients have a map attached to their appointment letters, most of them don’t check it and many still go to Bexhill Hospital for their test or scan.