1. IMPROVING PATIENT AND CLIENT EXPERIENCE Vanessa Bourne Head of Special Projects The Patients Association

2. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Introducing The Patients Association Listening to patients and speaking up for change Independent charity, created more than 40 years ago Membership made up of individual and corporate members Independent and informed voice for and to patients Our voice is trusted by patients who look to us for advice on all aspects of the patient experience Patients Association Helpline

3. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Helpline Operated by volunteers Receives more than 7000 calls, emails and letters a year Last resort Patients’ experience focuses the policy priorities of the organisation Recent issues: –Mixed sex wards –Access to Medical Records –Privacy and dignity –Informed choice

4. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Our Campaign for Safer Practice since 2000 Reuse of Medical Devices Decontamination of surgical instruments Tracking medical devices in relation to Super Centres for decontamination Survey of SHA monitoring of decontamination “I thank The Patients Association for the pressure they put on us to keep improving standards. Long may they continue” Sir Ian Carruthers – Acting Chief Executive of NHS, May 2006

5. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Our Campaign for Safer Practice since 2000 Campaigns follow a pattern: Government announcement of what constitutes best practice Patients Association survey of relevant staff most involved Findings: huge variations / best practice not actioned etc.

6. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel 2005 – Cleaner Hospitals Summit Brought together speakers from government, clinical staff, contractors and patients Exhibition of those offering innovation and best practice so that we didn’t just complain but offered solutions Event was followed by the 100 Day Challenge Report to see what action had been taken

7. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Campaigns 2006 Cleaner Hospitals Safer Healthcare Summit Initiated the first Patients Association Awards Scheme Infection Control – Is it only skin deep? November 2006 survey of infection control nurses and others

8. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Campaigns 2006 Increased media interest: 2000 – People read about others’ experiences of HCAIs 2006 – Everyone has personal experience or knows someone who has suffered from HCAIs President of the Patients Association, Claire Rayner is one of the leading campaigners as a result of her own experiences

9. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Next stages of campaign Information for Patients: Patients Association’s ‘Ten Top Tips’ – being developed as more information becomes available from different sources Information for Visitors: hospitals are not hotels, need for awareness before visits New Buildings: PA contributions to design out infection potential through RIBA and LIFT

10. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Call For Action Trust Board – ‘fish rots from the head’ HCAI clinical leads must be sufficiently senior to have clout Bad practice affects everyone in the Trust. Information must be broken down by specialty / ward / department Publicity – where are the advertisements? Health promotion before hospital admission on infection – much wider programme required in schools, workplaces, homes Everyone, Everywhere, Every time – THE top priority:

11. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel Why so complicated? - how others manage Airlines - jumbo jet crash a month Hotels - customers don’t have to join focus groups, workshops etc. Compared with rail companies banks WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

12. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel No Real Customer Choice Customers loathe tokenism Tokenism becomes cynicism Cynicism turns into apathy Apathy allows bad practice

13. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel The Patient Journey First phone call Kindness Confidentiality Ease of access - signage, parking, communications Informed choices One stop shop Life Standards for privacy and dignity End of Life standards

14. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel What National Health Servants can do “Somebody knew, somebody kept quiet” “Fish rots from the head” Quality is not an add on Staff as patients Mindset: customers DO have a choice No Wildebeest!

15. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel NURSE! Patients do not choose to be patients Sick, easily institutionalised, powerless They need a 24/7 Advocate, defender, supporter, lead carer to be eyes, ears & VOICE on their behalf At all stages of patient journey Bravery essential Ensure clinical, individual excellence

16. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel NURSE! Selection criteria for students Curriculum for student nurses Essence of all care - clinical and individual Opposite of tokenism Zeal for excellence for individual patients

17. Improving Patient Experience and Care through Practice and Quality Improvement NIPEC Conference, 27 th March 2007 Hilton Templepatrick Hotel PATIENTS ARE THE REASON FOR THE HEALTH SERVICE - NOT INTERRUPTIONS TO IT