Humber Acute Services Programme - Reviewing the temporary changes made to Haematology Services

We Asked

Between June and July 2021, questionnaires were posted to 746 patients who had been identified as being impacted by the temporary changes made to Haematology in-patient services throughout July -October 2021.

Participants were encouraged to share their experiences so we could understand if the temporary changes had a positive or negative impact on their patient journey, quality of care and outcomes.

110 responses were received. 

You Said

You were happy with the care you  received..
The majority of respondents, including those impacted by the change of location of their first face-to-face appointment to Castle Hill Hospital, rated the quality of care provided as either good or excellent. Several respondents spoke highly of the kind, compassionate and hardworking staff at Castle Hill Hospital. 

The new location and extra travelling did cause some inconvenience...
The feedback shows the majority of patients who travelled to the new location by car, either as a driver or a passenger, said it was easy to get to their appointment. These respondents appreciated the clear directions that were provided and/or noted it was easy to get to Castle Hill Hospital because the journey time was shorter due to where they live.

More negative responses to this question were given from those who 
needed to travel further, had problems with parking and/or had to rely on family and friends to help, saying the change in location had caused some inconvenience both time and financially. 

The changes have had a financial impact...
Some respondents told us that the changes had impacted them financially, with some needing to now pay for taxis to their appointments or parking costs, when before they could have walked or used public transport. 

You don't want technology to replace face-to-face appointments...
With regards to follow up appointments, there was a clear preference from respondents for these to be delivered face-to-face as they favour the personal aspect of being able to see and speak to the consultant in person not through a screen or down a telephone. 

There appears to be a wariness to adopt and embrace digital appointments and a number of respondents said they would not feel confident taking part in a video call or using apps - despite the majority of respondents owning the technology needed to take part in these methods of communication 

You would like appointments to run on time...
A key area of improvement is around appointments running on time. A large number of respondents expressed frustration around this and some told us they had experienced delays of up to 7 hours. 

You would like to be communicated with better...
The feedback also expressed a need for clear and timely communication, especially from those respondents with audio impairments. The individual needs of patients should be taken into account when contacting patients and/or when calling patients through for appointments.

A number of respondents also noted the importance of regular updates with regards to appointment waiting times and/or clear communication when discussing a diagnosis, test or treatment plan.

We Did

Next, we will:
The feedback captured during this engagement exercise from both staff and patients will, will be reviewed and considered by the service teams colleagues at both HUTH and NLaG. 

The findings of this feedback will be discussed at the joint HUTH and NLaG Haematology Operational meeting, Humber Cancer Board, and shared with the wider workforce in the form of an analysis report.

The feedback captured during this engagement exercise will be reviewed and considered against our  evaluation criteria to help inform any proposal(s) for service redesign/reconfiguration, including whether these temporary changes are to be made permanent. 

Please click the document links below to read the feedback reports from both staff and patients.