PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH
RHEUMATOLOGY SERVICES IN MUSGRAVE PARK HOSPITAL
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1
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Waiting times for first
outpatient appointments should meet Charter standards
and consideration needs to be given to means of reducing
waiting times for repeat outpatient appointments in
Musgrave Park Hospital and the Royal Victoria and Belfast
City hospitals. |
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2
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Patients' travelling distances
should be taken into consideration when outpatient appointment
times are being arranged. |
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3
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Patients and parents at
each hospital need to be made aware that they can be
seen by a consultant at an appointment, if required.
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4
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Consideration needs to
be given to means of improving the availability of seating
in the Belfast City and Royal Victoria Hospitals, and
the comfort of seating in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
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5
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Facilities in the Royal
hospital, including access to beverages and disabled
toilets, should be readily accessible to patients and
relatives. |
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6
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Staff in Musgrave Park,
Royal Victoria and Belfast City hospitals should continue
to keep patients well-informed about their conditions.
However, staff should be proactive about informing patients,
rather than waiting for patients to request the information.
In order to enhance the understanding of adolescent
patients, staff should consider reinforcing verbal explanations
with age-specific, written information. |
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7
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Information leaflets on
arthritic conditions and common treatments should be
freely available to patients at each hospital. In addition,
patients should be involved in the production of these
leaflets. |
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8
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Staff in each hospital
should ensure that patients are informed in advance
about the types of tests which will be conducted and
the purpose of any tests. |
|
9
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Patients attending outpatients
in Belfast City Hospital should routinely be made aware
of who they can contact if their conditions deteriorate
in-between appointments. |
|
10
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Social work staff should
ensure that all clients are made aware of the outcomes
of social work assessments. Inpatient and daycare treatment
in Musgrave Park Hospital |
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11
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Parents' views and family
circumstances should be given due consideration by medical
staff when making decisions about whether to admit a
child for treatment. |
|
12
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Consideration should be
given to means of reducing the waiting times for results
of MRI scans. |
|
13
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Staff should ensure that
tests are always explained in advance to adolescent
patients. |
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14
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Musgrave Park Hospital
should consider organising review appointments for children
before they leave the outpatients department or are
discharged from hospital. |
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15
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Staff need to be aware
of the psychological effects of arthritis on patients.
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16
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Training needs to be provided
to porters in ensuring the safe transport of patients.
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17
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Consideration needs to
be given to means of increasing the size of the hydropool.
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|
18
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The hospital should ensure
that the physiotherapy department is warm enough for
patients coming from hospital wards. |
|
19
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The hospital should ensure
that the rheumatology service has sufficient allocation
of theatre time to enable procedures to be carried out.
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|
20
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Staff need to ensure that
limbs are properly identified and marked in advance
of carrying out surgical procedures. |
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21
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All children with rheumatology
conditions should be made aware of the existence of
the pain service. |
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22
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Hospital staff should
ensure that equipment (e.g. wheelchairs) is available
for patients when requested in advance. In addition,
a formal retrieval process should be instituted. |
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23
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Training for GPs needs
to ensure that they are kept up-to-date with the current
management and treatment of arthritis. Miscellaneous
|
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24
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School staff need to be
made aware of children's arthritic conditions and the
needs of children with arthritis. |
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25
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Schools need to be equipped
to meet the needs of disabled children. |
