Survey appeal to Portlaoise hospital patients

Patients at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise are again being invited for feedback after the last survey revealed 90% of people were happy with their care. 

The fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey is now underway in the hospital. This annual survey — the largest of its kind in Ireland — offers patients the opportunity to share their experiences of healthcare and outline what is working well and what improvements are necessary. This provides a clear picture of the safety and quality of care in Irish hospitals, as seen through the eyes of patients.

Almost 26,000 patients are eligible to participate in this year’s survey. Since 2017, over 50,100 patients have completed the survey nationally, making over 86,000 comments on the care and treatment they received in hospital. Last year’s response rate of 41% at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise indicates the strong desire of patients to talk about their experiences in hospital in order to bring about meaningful change.

The National Inpatient Experience Survey contains a total of 67 questions on topics such as admission to hospital, care and treatment on the ward, trust in hospital staff, respect and dignity, and care during the pandemic. 

All patients aged over 16 years-of-age who spent 24 hours or more in hospital and were discharged during the month of May are eligible to participate in the survey.

Health and Information Quality Authority(HIQA)’s Director of Health Information and Standards Rachel Flynn said: “I would like to encourage all eligible patients to tell us about their recent experiences of care in Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise.” 

“By sharing your views, you will provide us with invaluable information on the improvements that are necessary to deliver a more person-centred health service in your area. It is by listening and learning from your experiences that we can bring about effective and  sustainable changes across the healthcare sector,” she remarked.   

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General Manager at MRHP Michael Knowles said: “The results of our most recent survey, with 90% of our patients saying the care was good or very good, is testament to the hard work and commitment of the dedicated staff at MRHP.”

He added: “Many of the comments from patients in the most recent National Inpatient Experience Survey acknowledge the great care and support provided to them by our staff. I am asking patients to complete the 2022 survey, so we can continue to listen, respond and improve.”

To find out more about the survey, watch a short animation here. You can also visit our website yourexperience.ie and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.