Enter and view: Leicester Royal Infirmary Children's Emergency Department

This is a report of an Enter and View conducted by Healthwatch Leicestershire, Healthwatch Leicester and Healthwatch Rutland of Leicester Royal Infirmary Children’s Emergency Department on 20 August 2024.

The visit was part of a rolling programme of urgent and emergency care visits. Patients were asked if they would like to participate in sharing pre-treatment feedback providing feedback through a pre-planned survey. This was then followed by a short after care survey. An online survey was also offered to gather a wide range of patient feedback. In total, the survey involved 46 patients. Overall, people are satisfied but there are some areas for improvement.

The report details six key findings.

• Waiting areas are bright and clean, with modern facilities.
• Most patients contact other services before attending.
• Patients and carers are satisfied with the treatment they receive and appreciate the staff.
• More communication is needed from staff to patients in the waiting area.
• The department can quickly change from an empty waiting area with 15-minute waiting times to a full waiting area with unclear treatment times.

The report also contains 14 recommendations.

1. Improve communication during busy periods and make information clearer in waiting areas, consider using the screens to provide information such as waiting times.
2. Repair or replace the broken wall toys in the waiting area.
3. Clearly inform patients through posters and verbal reminders from the reception team at book-in that if they leave the department either temporarily or to return home, they must notify the reception staff.
4. Ensure that cups at the water station are always available.
5. Ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) units are always stocked upon entrance for patients to use on arrival, before they reach the reception team.
6. Amend or move the PPE disposal sign in entrance so that it is on or next to the bin.
7. Monitor the area to the front of the building to ensure people do not smoke or vape near the entrance area, particularly focusing on the ramp and steps.
8. Add information, signposting carers for support on or next to the learning disability information board.
9. Change messaging about the patient call in system on display boards to avoid confusion. The boards currently state that ‘you will be called on the screens so please pay attention to our patient calling system’.
10. Display a sign for the availability of a hearing loop.
11. Relocate the vending machines so that they are not in front of the patient information wall.
12. Make more use of the fitted screens for health and department information. This will enable patients to read them when sat facing different directions.
13. Look to provide a dedicated room for private and confidential conversations and have clear signage stating this.
14. Ensure a mobile hoist is readily accessible within the department.