Have your say hospital patients!

Alex O'Sullivan

The fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey is now underway in hospitals across Cork, including Bantry and Mallow General Hospitals, and Mercy and Cork University Hospitals.

This annual survey — the largest of its kind in Ireland — offers patients the opportunity to share their experiences of healthcare and tell us what is working well and what improvements they believe are necessary. This provides a clear picture of the safety and quality of care in Irish hospitals, as seen through the eyes of patients.

Almost 26,000 patients are eligible to participate in this year’s survey. Since 2017, over 50,100 patients have completed the survey nationally, making over 86,000 comments on the care and treatment they received in hospital. Last year’s average response rate of almost 44% across hospitals in Cork indicates the strong desire of patients to talk about their experiences in hospital to bring about meaningful change.

The National Inpatient Experience Survey contains a total of 67 questions on topics such as admission to hospital, care and treatment on the ward, trust in hospital staff, respect and dignity, and care during the pandemic. All patients aged over 16 years of age who spent 24 hours or more in hospital and were discharged during the month of May are eligible to participate in the survey.

HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards Rachel Flynn said: “I would like to encourage all eligible patients to tell us about their recent experiences of care in hospitals across Cork. By sharing your views, you will provide us with invaluable information on the improvements that are necessary to deliver a more person-centred health service in your area. It is by listening and learning from your experiences that we can bring about effective and sustainable changes across the healthcare sector.”