Children's services 'score positively' in health watchdog survey

The Care Quality Commission’s Children and Young People’s Survey 2024 asked patients receiving care during March, April and May 2024, and their parents or carers, about their experience.

Responses were received from 86 people at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, whose feedback saw the organisation ranked tenth out of 54 trusts that used the care toolkit operator Picker Institute to facilitate the survey.

The trust’s top scores included parents feeling staff provided written information about caring for their child at home, there was enough hospital food choice for their child, they were informed who to contact if worried about their child when at home, and staff attempting to provide distractions to the child during operations and procedures.

TRFT also scored above the national average for the child feeling staff did everything they could to help manage any pain.

Areas where the trust scored less well than others nationally were the overall rating of the child’s experience in hospital, parent involvement in decision making, raising concerns about a child’s care and treatment and parents feeling they had been given conflicting advice.

Helen Dobson, chief nurse at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have been listening carefully to what our youngest patients and their families have told us about the quality of their care they receive from our children’s and young people’s services.

“Since the last survey, published in 2021, the team has been working hard to help improve patient and family experience while in our care.

“This has included making adjustments and introducing sensory equipment to help those with additional needs.

“Our play specialists on the Children’s Ward have also been working to make the time children spend in hospital less frightening, and supporting the children and their families.

“We have also been provided with funding from Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity to enable us to provide the extra touches that help make a hospital stay more pleasurable.

“The charity also funded the redevelopment of the Children’s Ward outdoor play area, enabling children in our care to play outside as part of their recovery.

“We know there is more work to do.

“Feedback from surveys such as this are important in guiding how we develop our care and support in future, ensuring we meet the needs of our patients.

“We have also brought in local Young Inspectors to assess our services, and have listened to their feedback to make improvements.”

Across the country, the results of the survey reveal what more than 25,800 children and young people under the age of 16 and their parents and carers said about the hospital care they received.

Aidan Fowler, CQC’s interim chief inspector for healthcare, said: “Overall the NHS should be pleased with the results of the 2024 survey which show the majority of children and young people were happy with their care.

“This reflects the hard work and dedication of hospital staff delivering vital healthcare services for young people across the country.”

He added: “All hospitals should be putting patients and their families at the heart of their care and ensuring that their voices, concerns, and observations are listened to and acted on.”