Beaumont HospitalIreland

Patient/Relative Focus Group.

Presented by Angela Connolly

Building PartnershipsPatients/customers/staf

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Health personnel: specialists on their own subjects

Members of Public:specialists on their own lives

Customer: suggests greater independence

Patients:

feel a sense of powerlessness

Patient Focus GroupObjectives

Create a partnership of mutual trust and understanding between us, our patients and staff.

Enhance dialogue.

Listen and learn from our patients.

Enable its members to act as a consultative body for the CEO and senior executive.

MethodologyGaining buy-in from management.

Advertisement, inviting applications.

Recruitment of motivated patients/relatives.

Selection and appointment of independent chairperson.

Selection of hospital representatives.

Function

Introduce fresh thinking and possibilities for improvement.

Provide a voice to our customers in the decision making process.

To highlight issues of importance attached to user needs.

First Meeting November 2001

Launched by CEO.

8 Patient representatives in attendance.

2 Representatives from the Hospital in attendance.

1 External chairperson.

Format of Meetings

Reflect on experiences of services.

Select one good & one bad experience.

Prioritise issues raised.

Highlight proposals for improvements.

Tasks

Reviewing services, identifing weaknesses and advising on improvements.

Representing patient views on committees/project groups.

Working in partnership with staff:

Review of services.

Representation on Project Groups.

Involvement in Planning &

Development of Services

Catering Audit.

Out Patients Refurbishment.

A & E information Committee.

SERVICE WEAKNESSESManagement Communication Services

Admissions Information Leaflet Hygiene

A / E Dept Comment Cards Food

O.P. Dept Support Groups Transport

Cultural/ Language Disabled

FacelessManagement

Showerfacilities

SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

Admission system improved.

Management structure explained.

Information leaflet published.

Patient Food & Nutrition Group.

OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS

20 ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED BY GROUP.

16 ISSUES ADDRESSED BY HOSPITAL.

4 OUTSTANDING.

2 SHORT TERM.

2 LONG TERM.

2001 - 2003

Working together with our CEO/ Senior Executive Committee / Partnership.

Recommendations emanating from the group have been reviewed and changes implemented.

FUTURE

Involved in ongoing committees.

Introduce external groups onto Focus Group.

Consolidate links with Partnership Steering Committee.