.

Results of recent patient engagement published

East Kent Hospitals Trust has now completed the first phase of public engagement with Healthwatch Kent about why our hospital services need to change. The process included listening to everyone’s thoughts and ideas on what is good about our services and what should be improved. Healthwatch Kent has written a detailed report describing the process, discussions and recommendations from all the events. This report has been to Trust Board on 7 August. Read the report now

The key findings of the report were;

  • 63% of all comments received from the public were of a positive nature. This highlighted the following areas; general all round good service (61%), polite staff (19%) and improvements in waiting times (10%).
  • 37% of all comments received from the public were of a negative nature. The top four areas were; appointments (31%), dissatisfaction in levels of care (17%) poor communication (12%) and issues regarding A&E (11%).
  • People attending the events, universally reported a positive response to the content of the presentation and to the honesty and knowledge with which it was delivered. ‘It was very concise, highly informative and extremely useful’.
  • Everyone engaged in the process both from the events and in the wider community expressed recognition that current services were under huge pressure.
  • 100% of people supported the need to change something in order to improve current services and there was a general acceptance that ‘as an organisation and a population, we have some choices to make’.
  • Strong public view that East Kent hospitals cannot work in isolation and that the concept of ‘Tiers of Care’ is a useful model to help this conversation.
  • Strong public preference for more services to be based within Primary care or community settings, with support for specialist services remaining within an acute hospital setting.
  • Universal support for concept of an alternative pathway for older people.
  • A clear message in the public feedback was that the Trust should be working closely with colleagues in primary care, community services, social care and mental health to ensure all of our plans and services are joined up. Therefore, the Trust will be working with the CCGs and partner organisations to jointly plan an agreed way forward. We are hoping this can be done over the next couple of months so we are ready to continue with phase 2 as soon as possible. Your involvement is an important part of ensuring that patient’s and the public’s voice contributes to the future of healthcare services in East Kent.
 

Your involvement is an important part of ensuring that patient’s and the public’s voice contributes to the future of healthcare services in East Kent.

Findings from the report

Delivering our Future

Our 5-10 year clinical strategy

East Kent Hospitals has an ongoing process of listening to the views of patients and public.

In recent months it has increased this activity so that it can hear from patients and public to ensure their points of view help to shape the Trust’s clinical strategy and the future of east Kent health services.

Find out more >