Saturday, 14 May 2022 | 14.4°C Dublin

B ut 83pc rated treatment ‘good’ or ‘very good’, survey finds

Stock image of a trolley in a hospital hallway

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly welcomed the findings of the Hiqa survey on patient care. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

HSE chief Paul Reid recognised there are areas for improvement flagged by the Hiqa patient survey. Photo: Colin Keegan

Patients, for the most part, were satisfied with how frontline health staff treated them. Photo: Brian Lawless

Eilish O'Regan Twitter Email

Long trolley waits, difficulties trying to find someone to talk to about Covd-19 and lack of family visitors were among the main hurdles faced by patients as hospitals battled the pandemic last year.

L ess than a third of A&E patients surveyed were admitted to a ward within the six-hour target last year as hospitals struggled with Covid-19 and hundreds were on a trolley for two days before getting a bed.

Findings today from the 2021 National Inpatient Experience Survey also showed that while most questioned said that they did not feel at risk of contracting Covid-19 while in hospital, a number could not find a member of staff to talk to if they had worries or fears about the virus.

They also did not receive help to keep in touch with family members.

And although many patients expressed their appreciation of staff and the care they received, they missed being able to have visitors.

Visiting restrictions posed particular challenges for patients with sensory, physical or cognitive impairments.

The findings of the survey carried out by health watchdog the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) found that most patients had a good experience in hospital, with 83pc rating their stay in hospital care as “good” or “very good".

The majority of those who took part in the survey said that they were always treated with respect and dignity, and that they were given enough privacy when being examined or treated.

Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan's exclusive take on the day's news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.

Enter email address This field is required Sign Up

Patients also gave very high ratings of cleanliness, pain management and confidence and trust in hospital staff.

However, persistent problems remain including long waits in emergency departments before getting a bed.

Other areas needing improvement include the availability of emotional support, time to discuss care and treatment with a doctor, information on how to manage a condition after leaving hospital, and opportunities for family members to talk to a doctor.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly welcomed the findings of the Hiqa survey on patient care. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that the survey findings “highlight that there is still room for improvement, and it is absolutely essential the health service listens and responds when patients share their experience".

He added: “2021 was another exceptionally challenging year for our frontline healthcare workers and hospital staff; they have continued to demonstrate their ongoing commitment and dedication to our patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Mr Donnelly said the survey “is an important piece of work that ensures the patient voice is central to the delivery of a more person-centred health service”.

“The sustained high response rate shows that patients want to have their voices heard and share their collective stories.

“The 2021 survey results provide us with an understanding of patients’ experience of care during the pandemic for the first time.

"It is encouraging to see that patients continue to have positive experiences of being treated with dignity and respect, and having confidence and trust in hospital staff.

“We know that the most successful approach to building a safer, quality healthcare system is when the health service works together with patients and communities.

"The 2022 National Inpatient Experience Survey is now under way, and I would encourage people who are eligible to participate to do so.”

HSE chief Paul Reid recognised there are areas for improvement flagged by the Hiqa patient survey. Photo: Colin Keegan

Hiqa chief Angela Fitzgerald pointed out that Covid-19 has had a profound impact on patients, staff and the provision of healthcare across the world.

She said that despite the challenges presented by the pandemic and the disruptions it caused, most patients said that they had positive experiences of care in hospital.

“The findings of the survey highlight how important it is to patients, and their family members, to have opportunities to talk to healthcare staff, to ask questions and to share their worries. The results also underline the critical role played by families in supporting patients. These are areas that Hiqa will focus on during 2022.

“Upholding the principles of person-centred care and respecting an individual’s human rights are fundamental to the provision of high-quality healthcare and strongly relate to patients’ overall experience.”

HSE chief Paul Reid said: “Learning is a core component of delivering safe and effective healthcare. We are constantly working to improve the patient experience through listening, responding and improving.

“The majority of survey participants said that they were always treated with respect and dignity in hospital. This is a tribute to our hospital staff, and patients gave very high ratings for trust and confidence in those staff.

"There is much to be proud of in our hospitals, but we must now learn from and act on the survey findings regarding long waiting times in emergency departments, limited emotional supports and the need for more information about managing a condition at home, and for opportunities for family members to talk to clinicians.

“We will use the findings to continue to develop and implement quality improvement initiatives to improve the experience for patients.”

A Mediahuis Website © Independent.ie