The sixth National Inpatient Experience Survey gets underway in Tullamore Hospital
The sixth National Inpatient Experience Survey began on 1st May 2024 and will run throughout the month of May in all public acute hospitals in Ireland including the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. The survey is part of the National Care Experience Programme, a joint initiative by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health.
The survey asks people aged 16 years and over who spend 24 hours or more in a public acute hospital, and are discharged during the month of May, for their views on the care they received.
The survey is the largest of its kind in Ireland. It offers patients the opportunity to share their experiences of all aspects of their care, such as confidence and trust in hospital staff, care and treatment on the ward, the provision of information and support when leaving hospital, and to highlight what improvements they believe are necessary.
The first National Inpatient Experience Survey took place in Ireland in 2017. Since then, over 61,000 patients have taken part and shared their experiences of hospital care. In 2022, 44% of invited patients responded to the survey, highlighting the strong desire of patients to talk about their experiences in hospital in order to bring about meaningful change. Approximately 27,000 patients are estimated to be eligible to participate in this year’s survey. The National Inpatient Experience Survey contains a total of 52 questions on topics such as admission to hospital, care and treatment on the ward, trust in hospital staff, respect and dignity, and discharge from hospital.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said: “The National Inpatient Experience Survey allows patients to provide valuable insights and perspectives on their own experience in our acute hospitals. Survey responses will inform quality improvements and the safety of our health service. I welcome the inclusion of five new patient safety questions on a pilot basis in this year’s survey. This survey will no doubt enhance our understanding of patient safety culture in acute hospitals. I encourage all people who are eligible to participate.”
Speaking on the launch of the survey, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said: “Improving healthcare services is a key priority for us. Listening to patients who recently spent time in hospitals and learning from their experiences of all aspects of care helps us to improve. It’s greatly valuable for us. The National Inpatient Experience Survey gives patients a direct say in improving the quality and the safety of our health services and I strongly encourage people to share their views. We know that the most successful approach to building a safer, quality healthcare system is when the health service works together with patients and communities.’’
Angela Fitzgerald, HIQA’s CEO said: “For those patients who recently spent some time in hospital, this national survey provides them with an opportunity to share their experiences. The questions asked cover a wide range of aspects of care in hospital. Sharing your views provides us with a good insight into key aspects of the safety and quality of care in Irish hospitals, as seen through the eyes of the patients and amplifies what really matters to them. This valuable information will support the partner organisations of HIQA, the HSE, the Department of Health and patient advocacy groups to drive effective and sustainable changes across the healthcare sector.”
Clare Conway, Quality and Patient Safety Manager in Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, commented: “Tullamore Hospital would like to invite all eligible patients to take part in the sixth National Inpatient Experience Survey. This survey gives us the opportunity to learn from your experience in our hospital. It is really valuable to us as a hospital that we understand what we are doing well and more importantly, where we can improve.” To find out more about the survey, watch the short animation here. You can also visit www.yourexperience.ie
Present at the NIES launch in Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore on May 1st L-R: Clare Conway Quality and Patient Safety Manager, Dr. Noel Hemmings Clinical Director, Catriona Mc Donald General Manager, Louisea Burke Director of Nursing, Tina Connaughton Patient Safety Officer, Amy Mathews Patient Advocacy and Liaison Services Coordinator.
