Billy Kelleher
Question:223. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the national patient experience survey includes patients in accident and emergency departments. [26157/17]
View answerWednesday, 31 May 2017
Questions (223)
Written answers
The National Patient Experience Survey commenced on 1 May 2017. The survey includes all adult patients who have been admitted as an in-patient and discharged during the month of May 2017. In order to be eligible, the patient must have spent 24 hours or more in a public acute hospital and have a postal address in the Republic of Ireland. Those admitted through the Emergency Department and who have spent 24 hours in the hospital will also be included.
The questions in the survey include a focus on the patient's admission to hospital, the ward environment, the care and treatment received and any interactions with staff. There are also 6 questions in the survey which relate specifically to the patient's experience in the Emergency Department.
The survey will identify areas for improvement and as such will provide a direct focus for any changes required. It is anticipated that the survey will also discover many examples of good practice which in turn can be shared across the country. Capturing these important messages is vital for patients, hospital managers and not least for the staff providing the care in our hospitals.
The National Patient Experience Survey is a joined-up approach between the Department, the HSE and HIQA and is a concrete sign of the commitment of policy makers, service providers and regulators to improve the quality and the safety of our health services for patients. My Department is fully committed to promoting patient safety and to this end I launched a new National Patient Safety Office last year, which is currently pursuing a programme of patient safety policy and legislation.