Patients rate A&E care at St Thomas'

Tuesday 2 December 2014


Artist's impression of the new Emergency Department (A&E)

A total of 81% of A&E patients at St Thomas’ Hospital rate their overall experience as good, according to the results of the National A&E Survey published today (Tuesday 2 December) – this is higher than the national average.

The survey reports the views of almost 40,000 people who attended one of 142 NHS trusts with major A&E departments in England between January and March this year.

St Thomas’ A&E patients are significantly happier than patients at other trusts in areas including privacy when talking to receptionists, clear communication about test results, and staff explaining both the purpose of medication and its side effects.

Since the survey was last carried out in 2012, the Trust has made significant improvements in areas including keeping patients informed about waiting times, cleanliness, and advice for patients about medication and self-care before they leave A&E.

Areas for further improvement include patients’ relatives being able to talk to medical staff about their loved one’s care, staff listening to patients, and clear communication about patients’ condition and treatment.

Dr Katherine Henderson, lead consultant in the Emergency Department (A&E) at St Thomas’, says: “I am delighted that the majority of patients who we treat in A&E are happy with the quality of care that our doctors, nurses and other staff provide.

“However, we recognise that there are a number of areas for improvement and we will be working closely together as a team to take action.”

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is investing £20 million in the creation of a new emergency floor at St Thomas’ which will include a bigger and better Emergency Department (A&E), as well as other changes to improve the experience of patients requiring emergency treatment.

The emergency floor development is due to be completed in 2016.

Last updated: March 2022

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