A DAMNING set of figures on patient satisfaction at one ealing hospital have been released today.

The scores in the Healthcare Commission's in-patient survey for Ealing Hospital, in the Uxbridge Road, showed it fell into the bottom 20 per cent of hospital trusts in the majority of questions.

It got the lowest rating in five areas, including the overall quality of care received, how well doctors and nurses work together and the quality of explanations given to patients about surgery.

The survey of 344 adults who had stayed at the hospital for one or more nights, was conducted last August.

However, Julie Lowe, chief executive of Ealing Hospital NHS Trust, said steps being taken to improve customer satisfaction at the hospital since the survey.

She said: "We believe that the changes we are implementing now will improve the way we provide services to patients, and make patients feel they are part of the decision making process in our hospital.

"We have set up an improving patient experience group, made up of staff, patients and trust governors, to explore what we are doing right, and what we need to focus on to make things better."

Paul Reeves, the director of nursing who is chairing the patient experience group, said the hospital is now conducting weekly surveys to address the concerns of patients.

He said: "So far the main concerns have centred around cleanliness, food and the quality of communication.

"We are now drawing up a series of action plans to address these issues, and are publicising to our staff and patients what their concerns are and how we are going to do something about them.

"we have a banner in the entrance to the hospital highlighting patients' concerns. For instance, patients have commented that staff do not always clean their hands with gel.

"We have now put gel by every bed and matrons are driving home the messages to remind staff."

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