Service user feedback on access to hospitals within Lancashire: Reports for Ramsay Health Care UK
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This report by Healthwatch Lancashire summarises patient feedback on access to hospitals across Lancashire, based on engagement activities conducted between February and May 2016 with 1,596 respondents across 17 hospitals.
The study aimed to understand how patients travel to hospital appointments, how convenient and costly these journeys are, and whether patients receive adequate information to plan their visits. Data was collected through face‑to‑face surveys asking 18 questions about accessibility, transport, and appointment experiences.
Overall, most respondents travelled to hospital by car (64.6%), and the majority of these used hospital car parks, although one third reported difficulty finding a space quickly. Public transport was generally considered convenient by around three quarters of users, and most patients were not concerned about travel costs. Most journeys were relatively short, with over three quarters taking under 30 minutes.
In terms of appointment planning, most patients received information about their appointment, but fewer received reminders, and over a third said the information provided was not clear enough to help plan their journey. A significant proportion of patients allowed extra time to arrive early, reflecting concerns about potential delays.
Problems with travel did affect attendance for some patients. Around one in five had previously been late, most commonly due to traffic, lack of parking, or public transport issues. A smaller proportion had missed appointments entirely, with reasons including personal error, illness, and transport difficulties.
Across the three Ramsay Health Care hospitals (Renacres, Euxton Hall, and Fulwood Hall), findings were broadly similar. Most patients relied on cars, and parking availability was a recurring issue, although satisfaction varied by site. Patients generally reported short travel times and low concern about costs, but information about appointments and reminders was inconsistent.
Additional qualitative feedback highlighted specific issues, including difficulties with parking availability, unclear signage, problems with patient transport services, and physical access challenges such as doors or ramps. Some patients chose particular hospitals because of better parking, while others reported delays or confusion due to poor information or administration errors.
In conclusion, the report finds that while most patients can access hospital services without major difficulty, there are persistent issues relating to car parking, clarity of information, and transport reliability that can negatively impact patient experience and attendance.