Inpatient experience survey underway in Mayo University Hospital

THE fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey is now underway in Mayo University Hospital.

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 response rate of 38% at Mayo University Hospital indicates the strong desire of patients to talk about their experiences in hospital in order to bring about meaningful change.

The survey contains 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 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 Mayo University Hospital. 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.”

Tony Canavan, CEO of the Saolta University Health Care Group, said: “The Saolta Group is committed to listening to the needs of our patients. Learning from their experiences allows us to deliver better care and improves health outcomes.

“This engagement is fundamental to how we approach patient-centred care. I strongly encourage all patients who were cared for in Mayo University Hospital during the month of May to take time to complete the survey.

“Previous survey findings have brought about patient-focused improvement projects and we look forward to hearing directly from our patients about what is working well in our hospitals, and what areas of care we can work to improve.”