Child patients at Horton happy with their treatment says watchdog survey

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which monitors standards at NHS services, has released the results of its 2016 Children and Young People’s Survey.

Young people at the Horton and other hospitals managed by Oxford University Hospitals, as well and parents and carers, were asked questions varying from whether there was enough to do while in hospital to whether they received enough information about their treatment.

For each question, people’s responses were converted into scores out of 10.

When asked if hospital staff had explained how they were going to care for them, more than 90 per cent of eight to 15-year-olds said yes, while 98 per cent said they felt comfortable enough to ask questions about their condition and treatment. At 95 per cent, nearly all young people aged between 12 and 15 who wanted to speak with a doctor or nurse without their parent being present said they felt able to do so.

However the survey gave the trust a score of 2.8 out of 10 when it came to being given a choice of admission date and 5.4 out of 10 from eight to 11-year-olds when asked if staff played with them while they were in hospital.

Parents and carers also indicated they felt listened to by hospital staff, were able to help plan the care of their child and were given enough information to be actively involved in decisions about their child’s treatment.

OUH has a Young People’s Executive (YiPpEe), a voluntary group made up of 11 to-18-year-olds who help to shape the way young people are cared for in the trust. Full results at www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RTH/survey/14

Scott Lambert, YiPpEe Co-ordinator, said: “YiPpEe helps to bridge the gap between young patients and adults, by communicating their thoughts and feelings about their experience of care at OUH. This is very important to us and something, we believe, we’ve been able to deliver successfully, which is helping to improve patient experience for children and young people.”

Tracy Toohey, children’s patient experience lead, said: “We are delighted to have done so well in the survey. The trust is committed to enhancing and improving the experience of the children and young people we care for. Undergoing treatment in hospital can be daunting and frightening for younger patients, and we’re pleased to know that so many of the right elements are in place to make the experience as positive as possible.”