Enter and view: Ward 3B, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Healthwatch Gloucestershire undertook an enter and view visit to Ward 3B at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on 5 February 2026.  They spoke to 22 people.

Overall, patients gave positive feedback about the kindness, care, and professionalism of most staff, and staff themselves reported feeling supported, well supervised, and positive about their roles. Observations showed respectful interactions, good attention to dignity, and a generally clean and calm physical environment. The Clinical Governance Board was highlighted as a strong example of the ward’s commitment to learning and continuous improvement.

However, the visit identified several challenges affecting patient and family experience. Patients and relatives reported delays in responding to concerns, particularly around pain relief, dressings, and communication with doctors, with some issues attributed to IT problems and workload pressures. Communication with relatives, especially at the point of admission, was inconsistent, and some felt their concerns were not taken seriously until escalated. Discharge was a major concern for patients, relatives, and staff, with delays linked to limited access to doctors, shortages in community care capacity, and decisions being made outside the ward, making it difficult to manage expectations.

Awareness of Martha’s Rule among patients was very low, despite staff being aware of it, and information on ward walls was sometimes unclear or overly clinical, making it difficult for patients and visitors to understand. Therapy boards above beds were frequently incomplete, limiting their usefulness for people with communication needs. The physical environment presented some issues, including the absence of clocks displaying the date and day, which contributed to patients losing track of time, and unsuitable storage of shower chairs that reduced accessibility and raised hygiene concerns. Feedback on food was mixed, with some patients very satisfied and others finding meals poor in quality.

The report makes recommendations to improve communication, visibility of Martha’s Rule, personalisation of care, discharge planning, and environmental orientation, such as using clearer patient information, completing therapy boards, installing clocks with day and date, improving storage solutions, and considering access to a Clinical Nurse Educator for specialist training. The hospital’s leadership welcomed the findings and confirmed that many actions were already underway, including improved patient information at bedsides, increased Martha’s Rule visibility and training, clearer wall displays, plans for new clocks, and further work on discharge processes and staff development.