Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt has written a letter personally congratulating Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on its impressive scoring in a recent patient feedback survey.
The Trust’s outpatients department received a near-perfect score of 97 per cent in the Friends and Family Test for June 2017.
The test asks patients to answer how likely they would be to recommend the service to friends and family who may need similar care or treatment.
Mr Hunt’s letter on 22 August commended the work ethic of the Trust’s staff.
It read: “The Trust is a real example to others, demonstrating how to ensure your patients get the care that they deserve.
“From visiting organisations throughout the country, I know that the immense amount of work that will have been behind this outcome cannot be underestimated.
“This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Trust’s staff.”
He also praised staff for their dedication to quality service and care.
He said: “Pass on my congratulations to all those who work at the Trust; the service they give makes a real difference to the lives of many of the area’s sickest and most vulnerable patients.”
Each month, the Friends and Family Test provides hospital managers with a report about their service, which highlights successes and areas for improvement.
It was first introduced by the Trust in 2013 and is now offered across all wards and departments as a way to gather patient feedback.
Cathy Evans, Head of Outpatients and Medical Specialties at the Great Western Hospital, said: “We are thrilled that the efforts of our hardworking staff in outpatients and across the Trust has been recognised by the Health Minister in such a personal way.
“The Trust is always looking at ways to improve the care offered to local people and the Friends and Family Test is great for capturing the thoughts and feelings of our patients, who know what works well and what doesn’t better than anybody else.”
