Countess of Chester Hospital – National NHS survey results show increasing patient satisfaction

Patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2023 have reported significant improvements in their experiences compared to those surveyed in the previous year.

The findings come from a national annual survey held by the care regulator, the Care Quality Commission, that aims to understand patients’ experiences of their stay and the quality of care received.

The survey was carried out in November 2023 and found that – out of half of all hospital Trusts in England whose patients were surveyed by the same organisation – the Trust was the fourth most improved last year, rising in ranking for satisfaction by an impressive 22 places (from 57^th to 35^th place).

Patients said the length of time they were on the waiting list before being admitted has improved the most; huge reductions to elective care waiting times have been made at the Trust, with cancer services a particular success.

According to those surveyed, the Trust was also better than most in involving family or carers in discussions about leaving hospital. Patients also reported consistent communication across the hospitals about their treatment and care – a reflection of the significant investment made to the caring workforce and its leadership in recent times.  

These successes are part of an overall improvement programme across the Trust, focussing on improved care for patients and families and a greater emphasis on staff wellbeing.

Sue Pemberton, Deputy Chief Executive officer and Director of Nursing & Quality at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are already seeing the impact of improvements we are making and remain steadfast in our commitment to be an organisation that the local community can be proud of; one that people can rely on when they need it and with patients at the heart of everything we do.

“Listening to patients and staff has become an integral part of our new approach, and we hear the feedback in this latest survey loud and clear. As well as some reassuring improvements reported by our patients, which we welcome, we need to do better on the issues that we haven’t quite got right yet.”

Notably, patients were unhappy with the time waiting for a bed on a ward after arriving at hospital, reflecting the continued pressures felt by A&Es nationwide, and with being disrupted during the night due to noise from other patients and staff.

Several changes have been made already this year to free up beds sooner for those in A&E, which are not yet reflected in these results, and the Trust is also introducing a wider range of food choices – including more options after 8pm – and will make the new and improved Friends and Family Test feedback postcards easier for patients to find during their stay.

457 patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust completed the survey during November 2023. 

Patients were eligible for the survey if they were aged 16 years or older and had spent at least one night in hospital.

Of the 131 NHS Trusts whose patients were surveyed nationwide, 63 (48%) were surveyed by Picker, which included the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.