RJAH at top of the class in major national report

Overall patient experience at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) is the best in the country – according to the findings of a major national report. 

The Adult Inpatient Survey is produced annually by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who monitor, regulate and inspect health and social care services in England. 

It is based on feedback from more than 62,000 people who had a spell as a hospital inpatient during November 2021. More than 1,200 RJAH patients were invited to take part in the survey, and the response rate of 72% was well above the national average of 39%. 

RJAH has been named by the CQC as one of just nine organisations placed in the top band of Trusts delivering results that are considered “much better than expected”, with patient experience that is substantially better than elsewhere. It is also classed as “much better” in both medical care and surgery.  

The Oswestry-based hospital received responses which were better than most Trusts in 42 of the 46 questions included in the survey which were relevant to its services, and worse than most Trusts in none. In total, 81% of all responses were positive – also a national best figure. 

Stacey Keegan, Chief Executive, said: “This is a stunning report which shows a very positive picture of what our patients say about the care they receive at our hospital. 

“I am grateful to them for their feedback, and it is gratifying that they are so positive about the experience they have had through what has been a very challenging period for ourselves and for the wider NHS. 

“Our staff should be very proud of this report and my respect and admiration goes out to them for their unstinting hard work. It is reflected across all staff groups – clinical staff are celebrated but it is also so pleasing to see the work of others such as our catering teams and our housekeepers shining through in the data. 

“We will make sure we take time to celebrate this report, but also use to it to draw out areas where we can make further improvements as part of our aspiration to deliver world class care.” 

The survey asked people to give their opinions on the care they received, including quality of information and communication with staff, whether they were given enough privacy, the amount of support given to help them eat and drink and assist with personal hygiene, and on their discharge arrangements. 

Highlights include top scoring for overall patient experience with an average mark of 9.41 out of 10. 

The hospital’s wards and rooms are also ranked as the cleanest in the country for the third year in a row, while patients rated its food as the best as well – for the 16th time in the last 17 years. 

Visiting restrictions have been in place throughout the pandemic, but RJAH also scored in the top five of all Trusts in England for helping patients stay in touch with friends and family. 

Sara Ellis-Anderson, Interim Chief Nurse, said: “This survey is a very useful tool for all NHS organisations, as it gives us a strong measure of exactly what our patients think about us. 

“It covers everything from the clinical care we provide to how clean the wards are and how good the food is, so it really is a comprehensive analysis of everything we do. 

“We will use this report to celebrate our strengths, but also to help shape our areas for improvement so that we can continue to raise the bar and give our patients the experience they deserve every time they come through our doors.” 

Full details of the Adult Inpatient Survey 2021 can be found online here: http://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/surveys/adult-inpatient-survey