Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust: Rheumatology Service at The Minerva Health Centre Patient Engagement Day

Healthwatch Lancashire conducted a Patient Engagement Day at the Rheumatology Service based at the Minerva Health Centre in Preston on 10 November 2016. Feedback was gathered from 20 patients to understand their experiences of accessing the service and the quality of care they received. 

Most patients had either been attending the service for less than a year or for more than two years. The majority were referred by their GP, while over a third were referred by a hospital. Most patients described the referral process as straightforward and satisfactory, although around one-fifth felt that improvements were needed because of long waiting times for appointments. 

Patients were overwhelmingly positive about the Minerva Health Centre. They reported that it was easier to access than hospital outpatient departments and appreciated the free parking and convenience of the location. However, some patients who relied on public transport felt the centre was more difficult to reach and required longer journeys than previous locations. 

Most patients said they had no difficulty obtaining appointments, although some experienced delays, particularly when accessing initial consultations or specialist services. Concerns raised generally related to waiting times and appointment availability.

Feedback about staff was extremely positive, with all respondents stating that they were happy with the staff. Patients described staff as friendly, helpful, caring, and professional, and many valued the personalised nature of the service. 

Many patients reported improvements in their health since attending the service, particularly through medication management, monitoring, and pain control. Others felt their condition had remained stable or said it was too early to tell whether there had been any improvement. 

Overall satisfaction with the service was very high. More than three-quarters of patients said they were very satisfied with the care they received and the remainder said they were satisfied. No respondents reported being dissatisfied with the service. 

Suggestions for improvement included clearer car park signage, reinstatement of the on-site café, and better information for patients attending the blood clinic. However, many patients felt that no significant improvements were needed and praised the service for being efficient and professional.

In response, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged previous waiting-time issues and reported that additional clinical capacity had been introduced to reduce delays. The Trust also committed to reviewing blood clinic signage and explained the car park numbering system. Overall, the Trust welcomed the feedback and stated that the findings reinforced the value of the service to patients.