Patient stories and patient public involvement
Patient assessors required
Good environments matter. Every NHS patient should be cared for with compassion and dignity in a clean, safe environment. Patient-led assessments of the care environment (PLACE) help us understand how well we are meeting the needs of our patients, and identify where improvements can be made.
The assessments give patients and the public a voice to drive and influence the way their local health and care services are delivered.
Assessment teams are a collaboration between staff and patient assessors, with patient assessors making up at least 50 per cent of the assessment team. Anyone who uses the service can be a patient assessor, including current patients, their family and visitors, carers, patient advocates or patient council members. NHS Foundation Trust Governors can also be patient assessors.
Full training and assessment forms will be provided and reimbursements of expenses are offered in line with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust finance policy.
We are looking for assessors from all communities, no matter what background, age, or disability to represent our wonderful city of culture.
Please make your interest count by contacting the Patient Experience team via email Community.Engagement@bthft.nhs.uk or phone 01274 272568.
Ann Kendal patient story
July 2022
We still have a voice: living with a laryngectomy
In this film, you will meet five people who will describe their diagnosis of cancer of the larynx (voice box), their operation and time on the ward, and life as it is now. A total laryngectomy is the surgical removal of the larynx and the formation of a stoma, at the front of the neck, to breathe through. People with a laryngectomy are supported by the Macmillan Head and Neck Cancer team including nurses and speech and language therapists to find a new way to communicate, care for their stoma and adjust to these changes.
Barbara and David’s patient story
December 2021
Working with our patients and community
Working with our patients and community is an essential part of making sure that we deliver effective and efficient health care. It helps to address health inequalities by understanding the needs of our patients and community. This engagement helps us to improve the quality of our services and the sustainable use of resources to focus on what really matters to our community. It also enables us to develop the right services to meet the needs of the community.
By reaching, listening, involving and empowering our patients and community we can make sure that they are at the heart of decision making and that we put their needs at the core of all we do.
We have established a Community Engagement Group to facilitate the review of our community engagement. The aim of the group is to continuously improve how we respond to community engagement and liaise with the community as part of our Patient Experience and Engagement Strategy. The group monitors barriers to the provision of healthcare and agrees a collective response to managing this whilst also identifying proactive ways of supporting the work of the Trust within the local community.
You said: ``we need more hearing loops in our outpatient areas.`` We did: ``We have installed more hearing loops across both hospital sites.``
You said: ``we need more handrails in our hospital corridors.`` We did: ``we have installed handrails on all levels where space allows on the BRI site``.
You said: ``chairs are too low in AED waiting area for the elderly``. We did: ``we ordered high back chairs for each of the waiting areas.``
You said: ``signage is too small and unclear for visually impaired people.`` We did: ``We ordered new signage with yellow background in black text``.
You said: ``there’s a lack of patient information in AED waiting area.`` We did: `` We installed new screens with infographics.``
Imaging Walk-In Service Survey July 2023
Patients are referred to the Walk-In Service at the Radiology Department at St. Luke’s Hospital for an x-ray without a prior appointment.
This survey was undertaken to obtain patient feedback on the service following concerns that the numbers of patients attending was having a negative impact on experience and waiting time.
Patients were invited to take part in a telephone survey when they attended the service, interpreting requirements were noted.
50 patients agreed to take part in the survey, of those 41 could be contacted, a response rate of 82% (41/50). Ages ranged from 21 and under to over 65. Ethnicity was reflective of the local population.
You said
Patients commented:
• Waiting times can be long
• Seating could be improved
• Pictogram/information sheet in changing area would be helpful
We did
• A new X-ray department at Eccleshill and changes to how x-rays are managed at St. Luke’s Hospital have reduced waiting times
• Patients are kept informed about estimated wait times on arrival/screen/sign
• A wider range of seats are now available in the waiting area
• Pictogram/ information sheets have been produced for the changing areas
Visiting Hours Survey October to November 2023
Following a review of the Visiting Guidance Policy at the Executive Team meeting on the 4th September, it was noted that BTHFT was an outlier in the West Yorkshire area and that the visiting hours were more restricted than other Trusts. The Executive Team felt that the Trust should consider opening visiting by extending hours. A trial of extended visiting started beginning of September for 3 months. This survey aimed to capture feedback on visiting hours from patients and visitors during that trial period.
Of the patients responding, age ranged from 22 to over 65. Ethnicity was reflective of the local population.
You said:
• When asked about preferred visiting options and given the choice between the previous restricted times and the extended times, 64% of patients and 79% of visitors preferred extended visiting hours.
We did:
• The Visiting Hours policy was updated in December 2023 to extend visiting from 2pm to 7.30pm. A further review is planned for September 2024.