University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust Patient Experiences of Royal Eye Infirmary
In October 2023, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust’s (UHP) Royal Eye Infirmary (REI) service moved from its location at Derriford Hospital to a new purpose-built building in the International Business Park near to the Derriford Hospital Site. Earlier this year Healthwatch Plymouth (HWP) conducted visits to the REI to engage with patients around their experiences of the new facility. This engagement report collates and summarises this patient feedback.
Key Findings
- Overall, the majority of patient feedback gathered at the REI in March 2024 has been positive, both about the service and the staff.
- Patient feedback relating to the period of time when the building opened in October 2023 to January 2024 tends to raise more issues. Some patient comments reflect the understanding that the service has been making improvements in this timeframe.
- Main issues raised include parking and transport, interior and exterior signage, and waiting times for appointments and follow-up.
Downloads
File download
UHP Patient Experiences of REI Report
Recommendations
- There is scope for UHP to work directly with the sight loss group, part of the Sensory Solutions service at the Improving Lives Plymouth Mannamead community hub. This could provide opportunity to better understand needs and concerns of patients and increase patient confidence in being heard.
- The issue of a safe pedestrian crossing outside the REI needs to be prioritised with the Local Authority.
- The new building would benefit from a mini–Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE) undertaken by Patient Council and Healthwatch Plymouth assessors to assess areas such as Disability Access (including Hearing Loops), Signage and Privacy and Dignity.
"Thank you to Healthwatch for conducting this engagement and providing valuable insights into the experiences of patients attending the Royal Eye Infirmary (REI). We are pleased to hear that the majority of feedback from March 2024 has been positive, and we are encouraged by comments praising our staff's professionalism and quality improvement efforts. The areas highlighted for improvement, particularly those relating to parking, signage, and waiting times, are important to us, and we are committed to addressing them."
