First National Patient Survey launched

Some 84 per cent of the patients who completed the first ever-National Patient Experience Survey indicated that their overall experience of acute healthcare was either “good” or “very good”.

The results of the first ever-National Patient Experience Survey have been launched today by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and Minister for Health Simon Harris TD in Dublin.

“The findings of the National Patient Experience Survey are very encouraging in a number of respects,” Minister Harris said at the launch.

“The fact that so many of our patients indicated that they were treated with respect and dignity is testament to the commitment and hard work of our staff.”

The survey, a partnership between HIQA, the HSE and the Department of Health, took place during the month of May, and gave almost 27,000 patients discharged from a public acute hospital throughout Ireland an opportunity to describe their experiences in order to improve our health service.

There were also key areas that need improvement indicated in the survey results.

79 per cent of people surveyed described the admission to hospital phase as good or very good, but only 30 per cent of people said that they were admitted to a ward within the target waiting time of six hours.

Nearly half of patients said that they could not always find a member of staff to talk to about their worries or fears. Patients needed doctors to have more time to discuss their care and treatment.

Full survey results can be found on HIQA’s website www.hiqa.ie