Hospitals win first PLACE

The Barts Health NHS Trust has been trying out a new way of getting feedback on its services from its patients and their friends and relatives. They’ve been holding Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) – an annual, mandatory inspection led by NHS England to “review the care environment” (we think that means “tell us what the hospital you were in was like”). The new regime appears to have paid off for the Trust, as patients have given them top marks for how they were treated in hospital (or maybe that should be “how they perceived their share of the care environment”).

The assessments reported that overall the Trust has improved since 2013. Most notable were the high scores in all hospitals for cleanliness (between 99 and 100%) “and condition, appearance and maintenance” (over 94%). All hospitals across the Trust scored above the national average for three of the four categories assessed – Cleanliness; Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing; and Condition, Appearance and Maintenance.

Recognising the importance of nutrition to recovery and general health, the Trust is working with its contractors to improve food quality and bring its ratings into line with and above the national average. Research shows that two thirds of patients admitted to Barts Health hospitals are malnourished upon their arrival, often because when at home they eat food low in nutrients, with essential fibre and vitamins largely absent from their diet. A newly appointed catering dietitian worked with the patient experience and catering teams to overhaul the menu, ensuring that all meals are nutritious, healthy and appetising.

The actions have proved particularly popular at Mile End Hospital, with food quality ratings jumping 18 percentage points in comparison to 2013 (from 76 to 94%). Among the Trust’s improvements are a new in-patient menu created in response to requests and comments by patients and the panel. The new menu meets dietary needs, with foods also sorted into optional cultural and religious menus including Afro-Caribbean and Halal, reflecting the population of east London.

Reza Miah, Patient Environment Manager at Barts Health NHS Trust (on the far right of the photo, in the grey shirt), explained: “As well as offering people food that they will find appealing, it is also important to encourage people to eat and live well when they return home – which also makes it less likely that they will need to return to hospital.”

In addition to the annual assessments, patient panel members regularly visit all Trust sites to take part in patient food tastings, ensure that signage is easily understood and talk to patients about their experience. The panel is often joined by local councillors to discuss improvements being made at the hospitals. Any patient concerns are then fed back by the group to hospital staff, who work with the panel to make improvements.

Reza said: “I am delighted that the PLACE assessors acknowledged the care taken by our staff to ensure a good patient environment. All our patients deserve to be cared for in a clean, safe environment and our staff are also keen to provide high-quality care while knowing that their patients are comfortable.”

The Trust’s six hospitals are St Bartholomew’s (Barts) Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, Mile End Hospital, The London Chest Hospital, Newham University Hospital and Whipps Cross University Hospital. With a turnover of £1.25 billion and a workforce of 14,000, Barts Health NHS Trust is the largest NHS trust in the country, delivering health care to the 2.5 million people of east London and beyond.

•The Trust is keen for local people to get involved in improving health services. Patients, carers and family members are invited to volunteer to become a PLACE assessor. Please contact Reza Miah, Patient Environment Manager at Barts Health NHS Trust, on 020-7363 8326 or email: Reza.Miah@Bartshealth.nhs.uk

Tower Hamlets

The Royal London Hospital
At the request of assessors at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, the facilities supervisor has increased the frequency of random checks to toilets in the outpatients area to ensure cleanliness and adequate supplies.
Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing leaflets are now available in all patient areas and staff are carefully monitoring the availability of alcohol gel in all designated areas.
Food quality at the hospital is getting better, with ratings up from 81.14% in 2013 to 84.3%in 2014.

Mile End Hospital
The hospital has seen its food quality ratings improve 18 percentage points in comparison to 2013 (from 76 to 94%). Mile End also managed to sustain its 100% rating for cleanliness.