December 2019 iWGC and compliments - making a difference...everyday
Each month we recieve important feedback from service users, patients, carers and families which come to us through different sources including iWantGreatCare, cards, social media as well as verbally too.
Feedback, good and bad, is a vital part of how we make a difference - learning from our good and from our bad enables us to develop our skills and grow into a Trust that continues to deliver outstanding care to you.
We feel that sharing this is important not only for some 'feel good' factor but also so that we can publicly thank and congratulate our staff who strive to make a difference each and every day.
Celebrating our staff who work and dedicate themselves for you, our community, is just a small way we can give back to them; but we also hope you enjoy reading some of these pieces of feedback and that it leaves you feeling happy and also more confident in giving your own feedback - good or bad via iWantGreatCare or our through our Patient Advice and Liaison Service. Feedback is crucial to ensure we are doing things that work for our community and can help us address any issues that could be raised.
So, December stats...
- 1585 pieces of feedback received on iWGC
- Overall rating of 4.81/5
- 96.1% of patients, service users or carers and families recommending NHFT as a place to receive care
- Received 151 compliments via other methods - which can be anything from thank you cards to verbal thank yous
We have a hugely special piece of feedback this month for you about Cransley Hospice and the staff both clinical and non-clinical there. Please take the time to give it a read, and let us know your thoughts too.
The care for my father at Cransley Hospice outstanding. It was always proactive and anticipatory rather than solely reactive. After two periods in hospital which left my father in a reduced state, emotionally and physically, the medical and general care at Cransley rehabilitated him to the maximum that could be achieved, given his condition. The attention to detail was exceptional – with all aspects of my father’s care subject to careful planning.
Communication with my father, and with us as a family, was also outstanding. It was refreshing that Cransley doctors proposed a review meeting to fully update us on my father’s progress and current issues. Considering that my father was, in many ways, one of the least ill patients at Cransley, we felt that he was given equal time and attention. The doctors and nurses were always willing to give information about my father’s condition, at whatever level my father and other family members required. They also made time to meet with me on at least two occasions when I wanted to discuss possible future scenarios and plans in more detail than many family members would require .Discussions were always honest and supportive with excellent explanations; I was never made to feel that I was being a nuisance.
The care for my father from the health care assistants was unfailingly kind and they built his confidence through reassurance and humour to reassure him about aspects of his personal care which he found stressful and embarrassing. The physiotherapist, occupational therapist and team were also excellent, helping my dad to achieve the maximum possible on any given day, always listening to his views and building his confidence.
Pastoral care at Cransley is the other part of the service that was outstanding. Visits from Gerard the chaplain always soothed his worries and relaxed him and the prayer support was truly spirit-filled. My father also very much appreciated visits from another member of the chaplaincy team. The nursing team, particularly Michelle, were exceptionally professional in supporting us with a delicate family matter, always ensuring that they put my father’s needs first and were not partisan. They supported him to make his views known and helped ensure that his views were acted on.
One particular nurse, Marieke, made extra time for my father, explaining aspects of his care which he initially found troubling and worrying and taking away his fears. She was excellent at explaining subjects in a way that my father understood, without being patronising. Marieke also actively build up my father’s confidence, helping him to understand his rights and enabling him to be more assertive. She was also emotionally supportive to my mother on an occasion when she was very upset. The whole service, and Marieke in particular, gave my dad ‘a voice’ which he had not had for many years. This work, combined with the excellent care, enabled my parents to interact more like a couple, instead of my mother just being a care giver. This was wonderful to see.
The administration was always efficient and the reception staff were always welcoming and supportive. The volunteers were particularly supportive to my mother, listening to her and lifting her spirits. A friendly ear and a cup of tea were always on hand if she was not having a good day.
The care at Cransley has established the template for my father’s ongoing care in the community. We will always be grateful for this and will continue to support the wonderful work at Cransley Hospice by attending events and contributing as much as we can.
We are always looking for feedback both good and bad, so if you want to speak to a member of our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs) then please content them and share you experience with them.
telephone: 0800 917 8504
e-mail: pals@nhft.nhs.uk