FOREWORD FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NHS SCOTLAND
This report presents the findings of the first Scottish Inpatient Patient Experience Survey. It provides information on the quality of healthcare experience for those who had an overnight stay in an acute hospital in all 14 territorial NHS Boards or at the National Waiting Times Centre (Golden Jubilee National Hospital). The survey was undertaken by approved contractors commissioned on an individual basis by each NHS Board. This report has been produced by the Better Together Coordination Centre (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) in collaboration with the Scottish Government, NHS Boards and the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland.
The survey - based on responses from over 30,000 inpatients aged 16 and over - provides us with an extremely valuable collection of data on the quality of healthcare experiences in hospitals in Scotland which is not available from other sources. The survey asked questions about peoples' experiences of their admission, the hospital and ward environment, the care and treatment they received, staff and leaving hospital. NHS Boards and hospitals in Scotland have already been provided with provisional results and are now using the findings to identify areas for improvement. The findings will help us improve the quality of healthcare in Scotland by focusing us on the areas that people tell us are important to them.
This work underpins the ambitions laid out in the NHS Scotland Healthcare Quality Strategy and will provide us with evidence of progress during coming years. The survey will be a valuable tool in measuring progress towards the national indicator for improving the quality of the healthcare experience.
I should like to thank all those colleagues who have contributed their hard work in the design, delivery and analysis of the survey and preparing this report. Most importantly, I would like to thank the 30,880 people who gave their time to participate in the survey. Without their help, we would not have this valuable information resource.
Kevin Woods
Chief Executive, NHS Scotland
Scottish Government Health Directorates