Princess Royal Hospital Ward 1 (AMU & Ambulatory Care) - Enter & View Visit Report

Report - 21 October 2019

We wanted to find out if patients were treated with dignity, have privacy respected, and how staff respond appropriately and with compassion to meet healthcare needs. Also, to find out how patients living with Dementia are cared for and supported.

Summary

The visit to AMU was arranged following various concerns that had been raised with Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin including how Dementia patients were treated and cared for with other health conditions (e.g. diabetes). The aim of the visit was to view the department and see what concerns if any were evident and what challenges the department was facing. The visit to AMU and Ambulatory Care would understand the patients’ experience of hospital care.

We wanted to learn about:

The ward environment - observe the layout of the ward, and the staffing arrangements
Patients’ experience of being treated with dignity and respect and if they feel comfortable on the ward; observed interactions between staff and patients
The experiences of patients living with Dementia, and how the staff and ward environment support these patients
The assessment processes, and preparations for discharge
Hear about the patients’ experiences in hospital and their understanding of the arrangements for discharge and treatment plans
Contributing factors that delay a patient’s discharge from hospital

Key Findings

Staff were pleasant during both visits and really looked after patients despite being under immense pressure due to lack of space and number of patients
Staff worked well as a team and supported each other with patients needing more than one member of staff
Patients felt the staff respected their dignity and were kind and considerate
Patients told us that staff ensured they understood what was happening, informing them of any tests they were going to have
Even though the unit was busy, staff kept the environment uncluttered and safe for their patients