The care environment at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust exceeds the NHS national average in all areas, according to the results of the latest Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE) inspection.
The Trust scored top marks for condition, appearance, and maintenance across its three hospital sites, while Newark Hospital and Mansfield Community Hospital scored 100% for cleanliness with King’s Mill not far behind at 99.8%. The organisation’s food scored over 95%.
The assessments, which take place in all healthcare settings every year, reflect the attitude that every NHS patient should be cared for with compassion, dignity in a clean and safe environment.
Assessments show how the environment supports the provision of care, assessing aspects such as privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness, general building maintenance, and monitors whether the premises are equipped to meet the needs of people with dementia or with a disability.
Louisa Ward, Estates and Facilities Service Lead and PLACE Facilitator at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “These fantastic results are testament to the hard work and dedication of all our teams at Sherwood Forest Hospitals. We work in partnership with Medirest, Skanska and CNH (Vercity), as without everyone working together, we wouldn’t have such a clean, well-maintained and welcoming environment for our patients. Our colleagues should be extremely proud of the contribution they have made.”
Patient assessors found King’s Mill hospital to be ‘very bright, clean, and welcoming’ and said, ‘staff gave an air of calm throughout the inspection, even though the wards were full’. The general view on Mansfield Community Hospital was ‘very clean with a welcoming feel…staff were also very friendly’, while the grounds of Newark Hospital were described as ‘free from clutter and well maintained.’
The assessments help organisations to understand how well they are meeting the needs of their patients and identify where improvements can be made.
Taking place from September to November each year, the inspection is undertaken by local patient assessors, as well as representatives from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS Digital, Age UK, Trust volunteers and Governors. It is also supported by members of staff at the Trust, which includes Matrons, Infection Control, Nutrition and Hydration and Dementia specialist nurses. The visit is facilitated by the Estates and Facilities PLACE team.
The PLACE assessments specify that 25% of the hospital’s wards must be covered. Eight areas were covered at Mansfield Community Hospital, nine at Newark Hospital and 21 at King’s Mill. At King’s Mill, the inspection took place across 10 wards, eight outpatient departments and compulsory areas such as the Emergency Department, as well as external grounds and communal areas.
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