The majority of hospital patients rated their overall experience of hospital care as ‘good’ or ‘very good,’ in the fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey, carried out in 2022.
Most patients said they were always treated with respect and dignity, and also gave high ratings for their interactions with nurses, pain management and confidence and trust in hospital staff.
However, patients also highlighted areas needing improvement, including long waiting times in the emergency department. 29% of patients said that they were admitted to a ward within the HSE target of 70% of patients being admitted or discharged within six hours. However, 334 people (4.5%) said they waited 48 hours or more before being admitted to a ward.
Patients were less positive about the availability of emotional support, time to discuss care and treatment with a doctor, information on how to manage a condition after leaving hospital, and opportunities for family members to talk to a doctor. 22% of participants said that they did not find a member of staff to talk to about their worries and fears.
The aim of the survey was to find out from patients what was working well in our health service, and identify where improvements were required, and offered patients the opportunity to describe their care experiences. During May of last year, 24,996 people were invited to participate in the survey and a total of 10,904 took part.
The findings of the survey, which is an initiative from HIQA, the HSE and the Department of Health will be used by the HSE to improve the quality of care provided to patients. Read the full findings on www.yourexperience.ie.
