Improving patient experience

We want to learn from the experience of our patients, their relatives and carers and members of the public, to ensure our services meet everyone’s needs.

There are lots of ways you can let us know what you think, including surveys, patient stories, online feedback, at community groups and events, complaints, concerns, compliments, and walkarounds.

We encourage you to speak to our staff to find out how you can get involved directly with the service you or your loved one uses.

You can become a Trust Member to be kept informed about developments at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and have a say about how services are run and their future direction.

You can also join the Trust’s Patient and Public Involvement Group to actively have your say on services, information and care, contributing individually or in regular meetings. Please contact the Engagement and Inclusion Team to start getting involved:

Engagement and Inclusion Team
D Level, Junction 3
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Moorgate Road
Rotherham
S60 2UD

Email: rotherham.patientengagement@nhs.net
Telephone: 01709 42 5416

Questions from the public

Query about the workstations on AMU - January 2023

Questions (submitted to the January 2023 board meeting):

When deciding to convert a bed space into a workstation, was consideration given to the number of bed spaces that would be lost? As far as I am aware, we have had bed shortages in the NHS for a significant period. The shortage of beds cannot be blamed on COVID.
This would have been carried out at a significant cost to the hospital at a time when our financial position hasn't been great, was this an end of financial year project to spend capital?
Has a review of the cost against patient care been carried out to see if it was money well spent?
Has this been done on more wards within the hospital and as such reduced bed numbers significantly?

Answer:

Chief Nurse, Helen Dobson, in responding to the questions, indicated that this related to the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) although the position was replicated on the short stay ward.

The conversion of the six bedded bays to a five bedded bay and a workstation had been planned as part of the design and development of the AMU and was not linked to year end capital spend. The aim was to improve quality of care, infection control and patient dignity as the space between beds had increased. This was considered an appropriate model to provide enhanced care. The matter to be addressed was effective utilisation of the workstations.