Trust celebrates 100,000 pieces of feedback

This week, staff at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, will be raising awareness of the importance of patient feedback and the Friends and Family Test as it joins other NHS organisations in supporting a national awareness week. 

The Friends and Family Test asks patients if they would recommend the ward where they have received treatment to their loved ones.  Since it was initially launched in April 2013, it has produced more than 17 million pieces of feedback nationally, making it the biggest source of patient opinion in the world.

Patients of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have contributed over 100,000 pieces of feedback since the test was introduced. This feedback has helped influence changes, big and small, from improving staffing levels, improving information about accessible parking to introducing a new maternity clinic to reduce discharge waiting times.  

Beverley Geary, Chief Nurse at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explained: “We use the Friends and Family Test so that people who use our services have the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience.

“It asks people if they would recommend our services and provides a space for people to tell us why they feel like this. The results help us to understand what makes both good and poor patient experience. It is often seemingly small things that make a big difference to people’s experience in hospital.

“The Friends and Family Test Promotion Week is running across the whole NHS and it is about reminding staff and patients why patient feedback is important and how it has been used over the last three years to improve patient care.

“Every month our results arepublished on the NHS Choices website. We also display them on posters on each ward.

“We send the results to matrons, managers and sisters and teams are encouraged to share and discuss the feedback and monitor trends over time.  This means celebrating good practice and making changes where things can be improved.”

Last Year G2 the maternity ward at York Hospital was recognised in the Patient Experience Awards, in the Measuring, Reporting and Acting category, for its hard work and enthusiasm in embracing the Friends and Family Test (FFT).  

Christine Foster, Matron for Matron for Maternity Service, Gynaecology and Sexual Health, explained: “Staff are aware that time spent on the Friends and Family Test can deliver positive outcomes for all. Regular positive feedback can boost staff morale, while picking up concerns can lead to real-time actions and improvements and a potential to reduce complaints.”

14 March 2016