Patient and Client Experience Standards

The five Patient and Client Experience Standards are: Respect, attitude, behaviour, communication and privacy and dignity.

Trust Chairman, Gerard Guckian said the launch of the document was an opportunity to show that the Trust was fully committed to implementing standards.

“When interacting with health and social care services all five standards are important. Patients, clients, carers and family members want to feel respected, they should be met by staff with the appropriate attitude and behaviour and know that their privacy and dignity is upheld at all times,” he said.

“The main focus of the five standards is about getting back to basics and looking at all the little things that can make a real positive difference to someone’s stay in hospital or interaction with our services. From personal experience, one of the five standards – communication – is key. Good communications will make sure that a patient/client and their family are fully informed at all times and can prevent any unnecessary anxiety during potentially stressful times.”

Alan Corry Finn, Director of Primary Care and Older Peoples Services and Executive Director of Nursing, said: “The Western Trust is committed to continually improving facilities for patients and responding to their needs and concerns about every aspect of their care and treatment, particularly in showing respect, having a good attitude, communicating appropriately and preserving privacy and dignity.”

As part of the first phase patient satisfaction questionnaires were distributed to patients on discharge from acute medical wards on both the Erne and Altnagelvin hospitals.

Download the document ‘Improving the Patient and Client Experience’ at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/improving_the_patient_and_client_experience.pdf