Patient experience at RJAH rated No 1 in England – for fourth year in a row

Overall patient experience at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) is the best in the country for the fourth consecutive year – 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 63,000 people who had a spell as a hospital inpatient during November 2022. More than 1,200 RJAH patients were invited to take part in the survey, and the response rate of 66% was well above the national average of 40%.

RJAH has been named by the CQC as one of just eight 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” for the quality of its doctors, nurses, care and treatment, and operations and procedures.

The Oswestry-based hospital received responses which were better than most Trusts in 39 of the 44 questions included in the survey which were relevant to its services, and worse than most Trusts in none.

Craig Macbeth, Deputy Chief Executive, said: “This report makes fantastic reading and is a testament to the high quality of care delivered by staff right across our hospital.

“I am grateful to our patients 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.

“I am proud of the work done by all of our people, and it is pleasing to see the work of all staff groups recognised once again. Our doctors and nurses are rightly heralded for inspiring confidence and Trust, but it is also pleasing to see the work of our housekeepers and catering teams also reflected back at us so positively.

“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 9.28 out of 10.

The hospital’s wards and rooms are also ranked as the cleanest in the country for the fourth year in a row, while patients rated its food as the best as well – for the 17th time in the last 18 years.

Paul Kavanagh-Fields, 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.”

The Adult Inpatient Survey 2022 can be found online here.