Enter and View: Champneys Ward and Dialysis Services

Healthwatch Wandsworth visited Champneys Ward and the St George's Dialysis Unit following major changes to renal services after the closure of Knightsbridge Wing. Nineteen patients were interviewed, including inpatients and dialysis patients. Overall, patient feedback was very positive, with staff consistently described as caring, skilled and responsive. Patients felt well supported, involved in decisions about their care and confident in the clinical teams treating them. 

The main concerns related to the reorganisation of dialysis services. Many patients had their dialysis times or locations changed, often without much choice, causing inconvenience for work, education and family life. Transport services were a particular source of frustration, with reports of unreliable collections and very long waits for journeys home following treatment. 

Key Findings

• Patients were highly satisfied with the quality of inpatient and dialysis care. 
• Staff were praised for being compassionate, knowledgeable and responsive. 
• The move from Knightsbridge Wing was managed well clinically, but some patients remained unhappy about changes to dialysis schedules. 
• Transport arrangements, particularly ambulance services, were a major concern and were viewed as unreliable. 
• Some issues were identified around ward temperature, visitor facilities, privacy curtains and communication between different professional teams. 

Conclusion

Healthwatch concluded that renal services at St George's continued to provide high-quality care despite significant organisational change. The report's main recommendations focused on improving patient transport, communication, visitor facilities, ward environment and dialysis scheduling, while maintaining the strong standards of care already being delivered.