Cannock Soroptimists were delighted to hear a good news story about Stafford and Cannock Hospitals from their speaker Julie Hendry, Director of Patient Experience for the Mid Staffordshire hospital Trust.
Julie spoke candidly, she didn’t try to cover anything up and began by giving sincere apologies to anyone who may have had a bad or traumatic experience at Stafford Hospital.
Julie has been a nurse for 34 years and is passionate about nursing. In 2009 she was asked to leave her post in Plymouth and join the team at Stafford for three months – she now holds a permanent position.
The things that she has been responsible for are concerned mainly with basic patient care – now, every two hours patients have to be asked questions relating to their comfort: Are you in pain? Are you comfortable? Do you need the toilet? Can I get you a drink? Is there anything else I can do for you whilst I’m here? Actions must follow the responses and the results have to be recorded on the patient chart so that family members can read them. Also, the nurse doing the comfort check must ensure that a drink and the call bell are within the patient’s reach. As she said, this is exactly what we should all expect from nursing staff, but it was not happening.
In addition to this, random checks take place on the wards as well as Julie visiting wards on an almost daily basis and the Trust believe that they are starting to make a real difference and that public confidence in them is returning.
Complaints received over the period when the Hospital was in turmoil are still being handled – and are being handled with honesty and sensitivity. Complainants have been asked if they will allow their story to be used for ‘In Your Shoes’ training events with staff – this is enabling staff to be far more understanding of and empathetic towards patient needs and feelings.
Any complaints received now by the Trust are about communication, a common cause of complaint in all hospitals, and are in general not about serious failings in patient care.
Communication and attitude are other areas Julie reported on. The Trust is working with staff to ensure such things as Doctors looking at patients rather than only looking at their notes. They are working with the Patients Association to work closely with the local community and through this are intending to provide Patient Advocates who can act for patients during any complaint. They also wish to establish Expert Panels, not associated with the hospital, to go through complaint responses.
Although the Hospital has moved a long way in the right direction, Julie was very clear that they don’t wish to begin to celebrate their progress yet, out of respect for those families who have suffered through a lack of care at the Hospital.
Members of SI Cannock & District had the opportunity for an open discussion with Julie and were impressed with her honesty, dedication and her enthusiasm to make sure that at Stafford and Cannock Hospitals patient care is of the highest standard possible.
Photo attached: Julie Hendry
