Enter and view: Princess Royal Hospital Ward 11

Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin undertook an announced enter and view visit to the Princess Royal Hospital Ward 11 on 25 April 2025 to understand patient experience, observe service delivery, and identify areas for improvement. 

Ward 11 is a renal and general medical ward that should hold 28 patients, but due to hospital pressures it was caring for 31 patients at the time of the visit, resulting in some patients being boarded in bays without privacy screens.

Parking on the hospital site was extremely limited, with cars parked on verges, paths, and yellow lines. Inside the hospital, signage to Ward 11 was clear, but several beds were left in corridors. The ward displayed a “Welcome to our Ward” board, although the date on the safety poster had not been updated.

The ward operates two specialities: renal medicine, where consultants rotate every few weeks causing a lack of continuity, and general medicine, which benefits from the same locum consultant daily. Several patients were medically fit for discharge but were waiting for social care packages; Telford social workers were seen as responsive, whereas those from other areas were described as slower to act.

Handover meetings take place in bays, with staff attempting to keep noise low. Staff reported that discharge plans are routinely discussed with patients, but many of the patients and relatives spoken to said they had not been informed about their discharge arrangements or timing. Staff described feeling undervalued following communication issues about changes to the discharge lounge.

Staff were present in bays, but the team observed one patient at risk of falls trying to get to the bathroom without a walking frame or slip socks nearby. There was conflicting information between staff reports and what the visitors observed. Privacy was generally maintained, and relatives of end‑of‑life or vulnerable patients were allowed extended visiting hours.

The ward displayed information such as staff uniforms and staffing levels. However, several patients said they had not been kept informed about their discharge, including one patient waiting to transfer to another hospital without knowing when this would happen.

Patients selected meals from menus accommodating dietary needs, although one patient described the food as “not nice.”

A family member reported medication delays after their relative had been moved between multiple wards.

The ward manager said most concerns raised by patients and relatives relate to medical issues.