Patient and public involvement (PPI)

 

 

Building relationships with patients, relatives and the local community

A new PPI strategy, approved by the Trust board in July 2008, was influenced by comments from a range of patients and representatives of voluntary organisations.

The strategy places particular emphasis on individuals and teams across the organisation taking local ownership for PPI by building and maintaining constructive relationships with patients, relatives, representatives of the community and the voluntary sector. Action plans for 2008 – 2011 highlight the need to better demonstrate how patients and the public influence Trust activities and how this brings benefits for all patients.

PPI core group

The PPI core group continues to meet every three months. The group is made up of patient and carer representatives and Trust staff. It helps to monitor progress with the PPI strategy as well as identify issues that matter most to patients and carers.

Local Involvement Network (LINKs)

Local Involvement Networks (LINKs) came into force on 1 April 2008, replacing Patient and Public Forums (PPIF). Trust staff are working closely with local representatives - Royal Brompton Hospital with the Kensington and Chelsea LINKs and Harefield Hospital with Hillingdon LINKs.

In the past year we have:

• Continued to keep patients informed about work at the Trust through our regular newsletter Patient Focus and about medical issues by providing and updating patient information leaflets.

• Involved patients/users and volunteers in the annual Patient Environment Action Team inspection at both hospitals during February and March 2009.

• Met parents and children in November 2008 to get their views on the transition service (children to adult services). The event generated information and ideas which will be used to influence these services in the future.

• Invited cancer patients to share their experiences of care. Their stories are now included with those of respiratory patients on the Trust website. This enables prospective patients to read about real experiences as well as receiving information from healthcare professionals.

• Organised a PPI Estates event in July 2008 which brought together members of the PPI core group, patients, relatives and a local involvement network (LINK) representative at Harefield hospital.

The event was an opportunity for patients and relatives to meet the estates and facilities team and get information and give views on projects being carried out. As a result work is underway to make it easier for patients to find their way around the hospital.

• Secured 12 street parking bays from the local council to be used as priority parking for patients from both Royal Brompton Hospital and Royal Marsden Hospital (five parking bays became available for use in October 2008).

• Exhibited at the Kensington & Chelsea Health Fair in October 2008 in collaboration with Kensington & Chelsea PCT.

The Trust’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) physiotherapist and COPD clinical nurse specialists gave advice on chronic lung disease to more than 80 visitors and offered spirometry testing.

• Organised an awareness stand in Sydney Street Reception on No Smoking Day in March 2009. This was manned by COPD physiotherapist and COPD clinical nurse specialists. The stand attracted patients, visitors and staff and referrals were made to the hospital’s smoking cessation clinic.

• Completed a satisfaction questionnaire based on annual reviews of cystic fibrosis patients. Following feedback from patients and staff the team will make changes to these reviews.

• Completed a paediatric patient/parent questionnaire on the exercise service provided. Feedback was positive but identified that patients would like more space to exercise.

• Expanded use of the ‘your views’ cards to all wards across the Trust. These have enabled us to significantly increase the amount of patient feedback collected.

As a result of feedback the echo department in paediatric outpatients at Harefield has introduced an appointment service for children which has reduced waiting times; car parking spaces have been widened and the number of disabled parking spaces have been increased; and most of the external signage has been replaced at Harefield, making it easier for visitors to find their way around the hospital.

• Established a patient panel in each division.

Quality improvements:

Patient amenities fund

A variety of patient amenity and welfare projects have once again been made possible by an award of £100,000 by the corporate trustee. Of the 37 applications made to the Patient Amenity Fund for new equipment and environmental improvements, 31 were successful.

This year’s projects have aimed to improve patient welfare by addressing priorities such as patient safety; patient privacy and dignity; and infection control. Other projects included updates to clinical equipment to improve patient care and to meet a range of patient needs.

Projects funded in the past year include:

• Refurbishment as part of the X-ray department at Harefield, giving patients more privacy.

• A Continous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) to monitor glycaemic control in patients with cystic fibrosis and adjust diabetes treatment accordingly. Cystic fibrosis related diabetes is associated with the progression of lung disease, nutritional impairment and reduced survival.

• Extra Pulse Oximetry machines, which monitor overnight oxygen saturation levels in patients with Interstitial Lung Disease, to enable this important clinical investigation to be carried out quickly. This is reducing the number of patients needing to make extra hospital visits.

• Adjustable patient couches in pacing consulting room and ICD clinic.

• New seating for the outpatients department at Royal Brompton.

• Refurbishment of the psychosocial meeting room and waiting area, creating a safe and more comfortable therapeutic space.