Each year, hospitals and other healthcare facilities both within the NHS and independent /private sector, are assessed against a number of non-clinical criteria including cleanliness, privacy & dignity and food quality. The results of the 2018 assessments reveal that County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) has scored well above the national average in all of the six assessment criteria.
All eight of the Trust’s hospitals including Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham, were assessed by a team made up of no less than 50% patients, plus staff. The Patient Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) look at cleanliness, condition, appearance & maintenance, privacy, dignity & wellbeing, food & hydration, dementia and disability.
CDDFT scored 91.4% for the care given to its patients in terms of their privacy, dignity & wellbeing against a national average of 84.2%. For cleanliness, the trust scored an almost perfect 99.52%. It also scored well above average for the specific support and care given to patients with dementia or a disability.
Managing director of CDD Services, Alison McCree, said, “These fantastic results are down to the hard work done largely behind the scenes every day by our dedicated teams. Whilst clinical care is extremely important, our patients and their loved ones often tell us that a clean environment and good nutritious food can really enhance their experience in our care. For instance, we have carefully planned menus for patients who need a special diet, perhaps because they have had a stroke.
“We’re particularly pleased that over 50% of the people on the assessment team were our patients – the very people we’re here to serve.”
