Inspectors have also given hospital standards of cleanliness and privacy & dignity the thumbs-up with their third consecutive year of “Good” ratings.
This was the outcome of the 2010 Patient Environment Action Teams’ (PEAT) inspection by the National Patient Safety Agency.
Each inspection is carried out by a team consisting of local NHS staff including nurses, matrons, doctors, catering and domestic service managers, executive and non-executive directors, dieticians and estates managers. They also include patients, their representatives, and members of the public.
Weston Area Health NHS Trust Chief Executive Lorene Read said: “This year’s PEAT scores are a well-deserved reflection of all the hard work that has gone on in the hospital in these areas over the past year.
“We have changed our menus in the Trust this year – mostly as a result of patient feedback, which we receive when patients fill in their Exit Cards on the day they go home.
“And our most recent Hotel Services survey showed 85 per cent of all patients rating our food as either Excellent or Good, so it’s particularly reassuring to see our patients agreeing with the inspectors on this.
“We also take cleanliness very seriously and are pleased to have maintained our good record throughout the year.
“We had an unannounced inspection by the regulators of the Care Quality Commission on the nine criteria in the national Hygiene Code of Practice and subsequent audits have shown that we are consistently meeting these standards.
“These successes are a credit to our staff and our patients, who do so much to help us keep vigilant in our battle against infection.
“And we know privacy and dignity are uppermost in our patients’ minds when they come into hospital – which is why we have a team of Dignity Champions working in all disciplines.
“And this year more than 100 more of our staff committed themselves to join them as part of the Trust’s contribution to National Dignity Action Day in February.
“We are however, never complacent, and are continually appealing to patients to help us by pointing out any suggestions they may have for improving in these areas still further.”
For further information contact Caroline Welch on 01934 647091