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Tea time in the Eye Clinic

Story from nhs.uk

"Tea time in the Eye Clinic"

About: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

I have had needed to visit the Eye Clinic on several occasions this year, the last in October. It has mostly been a very straightforward, efficient process with one exception.

Why do nurses come in and out of the consulting room during my consultation with the doctor?, this happened three times on the last visit during my few minutes in there. My privacy, dignity and patient confidentiality are all breached.

On a Health and Safety issue, nurses, doctors and support staff constantly walk about with trays of tea in mugs, in fact I saw more time spent moving tea about and groups of staff gossiping than I saw spent on dealing with patients.

The inefficiency is staggering, no wonder the NHS is short of cash.

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Responses

Response from The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust 7 years ago
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 16/12/2016 at 16:36
Published on nhs.uk on 17/12/2016 at 01:33

Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry that your experience as a patient in the Ophthalmology Clinic was marred by frequent disturbances during your consultation time and witnessing apparent unprofessional behaviour from staff drinking in a patient treatment area. I have discussed these matters with the matron responsible for the service and he in turn has taken your concerns to one of the management meetings for the service. The frequent interruptions are due to staff bringing in patient records and the results of tests and examinations but clearly this has the potential to affect the patient’s wish for confidentiality and privacy within that consultation. The consultants and nursing staff are now looking to revise their practice and so reduce the need to enter the room during an actual consultation. The issue of having drinks within the clinic setting is slightly more problematic. The clinics are so busy that staff do not have the opportunity for breaks and so require a drink at some point within the long clinic sessions. The matron is reviewing the situation to see how the opportunity to have a drink could be provided close by but not within the sight of patients using the clinic as clearly this gives an unfavourable impression. I am glad that your treatment to date has been efficient and effective and I hope that going forward we will be able to reduce the negative effect on patient experience arising from the issues that you have identified and brought to our attention.

Claire Roberts

Associate Director of Patient Experience

Tel: 01553 613459 or email: claire.roberts@qehkl.nhs.uk

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