Scottish Inpatient Patient Experience Survey 2012 Volume 1: National results

The Better Together Scottish Patient Experience Inpatient Survey is a postal survey, first conducted in early 2010, with the aim of establishing the experience of a sample of people aged 16 years and over who had a recent overnight hospital stay. The survey covers six specific areas of inpatient experience: admission to hospital; the hospital and ward; care and treatment; hospital staff; arrangements for leaving hospital; and care and support services after leaving hospital.


5 RESULTS – CARE AND TREATMENT

Summary

5.1 Most patients were mainly positive about the care and treatment they received. Overall, 85 per cent of patients rated their care and treatment as excellent or good (Chart 4), the same as last year. However patients tended to be less positive about getting help from staff when needed. More information on these results and other questions relating to the care and treatment are outlined below.

Chart 4 Overall, how would you rate your care and treatment during your stay in hospital?

Chart 4 Overall, how would you rate your care and treatment during your stay in hospital?

Care and treatment

5.2 Patients were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with eight statements about their care and treatment. They were also asked how they felt about being involved in decisions about their care and treatment and to rate their overall care and treatment. The results are shown in Table 3.

5.3 The percentage of patients answering positively ranged from 69 per cent (I got help with eating and drinking when I needed it) to 95 per cent (I had privacy when being examined and treated).

5.4 There were no statistically significant differences from the 2011 survey for any of the questions relating to care and treatment (Table 3).

Table 3 Summary of the results of questions asked about care and treatment

Statement or question 2012 Change from 2011 In Positive %
Total base (unweighted) Negative
%
Neither positive nor negative
%
Positive
%
I was able to get adequate pain relief when I needed it. 25,122 5 4 91 0
I had privacy when being examined and treated. 27,898 2 3 95 0
I had privacy when my condition and treatment was discussed. 27,707 8 7 85 0
I got help with washing and dressing when I needed it. 18,616 8 10 82 0
I got help with eating and drinking when I needed it. 11,459 10 21 69 + 1
I got help with going to the bathroom or toilet when I needed it. 16,496 8 11 81 + 1
Before moving wards, a member of staff explained what would happen. 14,868 10 9 81 0
Moving wards was well managed. 14,620 8 11 82 0
How did you feel about being involved in decisions about your care and treatment? 27,370 15 N/A 85 0
Overall, how would you rate your care and treatment during your stay in hospital? 27,784 3 12 85 0

Note: Not all rows add to 100% due to rounding.

Help from staff

5.5 The percentage of patients who gave a positive answer to the questions about getting help from staff when they needed it was relatively low with no statistically significant improvement compare to the previous year. These questions were (percentage answering positively in brackets):

  • I got help with washing and dressing when I needed it (82%);
  • I got help with eating and drinking when I needed it (69%);
  • I got help with going to the bathroom or toilet when I needed it (81%).

5.6 Many patients perhaps did not answer these questions because they felt that they weren't relevant to them. The reason for the relatively low positive ratings may be partly explained by patients who answered "neither agree nor disagree" because they did not require help.

5.7 There was considerable variation between NHS Boards in the responses to these questions. For example the percentage of patients that got help with eating and drinking when they needed it ranged from 61 to 87 per cent.

Contact

Email: Gregor Boyd

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