Whipps Cross University Hospital

Healthwatch Waltham Forest analysed its patient experience feedback about Whipps Cross Hospital for the period July 2020 to December 2021.  During this period they received feedback from 234 people.

Feedback as a whole is mixed, with 55% positive experiences. A broad majority of comments about staff attitude and quality are positive overall (68%), suggesting staff are generally working hard to deliver good outcomes.

On information, involvement and support, positive feedback is at a lower level (61%), this indicates that treatment and care is not as personal as patients may expect.

Just a fifth of comments on service access are positive. Leading issues include waiting times at appointments, cancellations and waiting times for treatment, and difficulty in booking or making contact.

Overall, recent feedback is 4% less positive compared with six months ago, and a significant 16% less positive compared with the same time last year. Recent feedback on involvement has changed little compared with six months ago, however it is some 18% less positive, compared with the same time last year.

Feedback on urgent and emergency care as a whole is 55% positive - this is around the hospital average. In the last six months, overall satisfaction is down by some 19%, comments suggest. performs least well on information, involvement and support, and staff attitude and quality, this may suggest that the department is comparatively under-resourced. A large number of patients criticise the lack of attention and personal care, either while waiting, or in the initial queueing/triage process. Acute care departments (such as intensive care units) receive a very high satisfaction rating (88%).

Feedback on maternity and inpatients as a whole is 61% positive – this outperforms the hospital average by 6%. In the last six months, overall satisfaction is up by a significant 45%, comments suggest.

 When compared with other departmental groupings, Maternity and Inpatients scores best on information, involvement and support, this is possibly a reflection of the personal care environment. Patients tell us they generally feel looked after and well cared for. However, satisfaction on staff attitude is marginally below the hospital average - comments suggest that ‘pressure on beds’ may be a contributing factor. It is also observed that post-natal receives less praise than the delivery suite.

Feedback on outpatients as a whole is 55% positive - this is around the hospital average. In the last six months, overall satisfaction is down by 5%, comments suggest. When compared with other departmental groupings, Outpatients scores best on Quality and Staff Attitude, this suggests that outcomes are generally good.

Patients express confidence in their clinical treatment, and in those delivering it. General trends are similar to hospital-wide issues - patients would like greater levels of support and information, and much quicker, and easier access to treatment.

Comments suggest best performing departments include Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Radiography. Least-well performing include Urology and Orthopaedics, according to feedback.