Enter and view: Accident and Emergency Department, Royal Blackburn Hospital

Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen Enter and View representatives conducted an unannounced Enter and View visit at Accident and Emergency (A&E) department on Saturday 24 February 2018 at 4.40pm to 7pm to collect views directly from patients, staff and carers/family members on their experiences of Accident and Emergency department.

Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen spoke to 16 patients, 8 carers/family members and 17 staff members and undertook 2 observations.

The key findings are: The majority of patients, carers/family members and all of the staff described the Accident and Emergency department as good, very good or excellent. 81% of patients had sought advice before attending A&E department from 111 NHS Service, Accrington Hospital, Burnley Hospital, Pharmacy and informal advice from neighbours. All of the patients said that when they arrived at Blackburn Hospital they could find A&E easily. All of the patients felt safe at A&E. All of the carers/family members said that the staff were very good or excellent. All of the patients and carers/family members said that the staff had treated them with dignity and respect.

Recommendations are: To review the relevance of the staffing notice board as part of the Trust’s review of information that should be displayed at the entrance of each ward. To implement electronic methods of calling patients to their appointments, which would either display their name or announce their name loudly. To review the access to disabled toilets to allow space for patients in a wheelchair to access these facilities easily. To share best practice working as a successful effective team with other wards/units in East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust.