Helping Addenbrooke's improve outpatients' care

We are helping Addenbrooke's improve people’s experiences of outpatients. This was an area of concern for the Care Quality Commission when they visited last year.

We spoke to over 200 people in three clinics. Our aim was to find out what care is like now and get some suggestions for improvements. We wrote reports following these visits and changes are already being made to help improve care.

We made a number of suggestions to improve care in the clinics:
 
  • Reducing waiting times for first appointments and improve booking in procedures.
  • Making sure appointment information is clear for patients and provided in a way that suits them.
  • Make sure patients are able to contact the clinic easily if they need to.
  • Make sure signage to clinics is all clear and consistent.

Andi Thornton, Outpatient Services Operations Manager at Addenbrooke's, said:

"Following our CQC inspection last year we were keen to get feedback from patients on how we could improve services. Healthwatch Cambridgeshire gave us the ideal opportunity to do this and we are very grateful for the information they have provided us”

It is this kind of feedback from patients, along with responses to surveys such as the Friends and Family Test, that enables Cambridge University Hospitals to provide a high-quality and responsive service to all of our patients. We will be using this information and other feedback to develop our outpatient services in the future."

As a result of the visits, the hospital made a number of changes to help improve people’s experiences. 
 
  • piloting an outpatients’ helpline
  • improving signage
  • having a drinks and snacks trolley visit the clinics
  • looking at different ways of contacting patients about appointments.

Following our CQC inspection last year we were keen to get feedback from patients on how we could improve services. Healthwatch Cambridgeshire gave us the ideal opportunity to do this and we are very grateful for the information they have provided us.

It is this kind of feedback from patients, along with responses to surveys such as the Friends and Family Test, that enables Cambridge University Hospitals to provide a high-quality and responsive service to all of our patients. We will be using this information and other feedback to develop our outpatient services in the future.

Andi Thornton, Outpatient Services Operations Manager

Downloads

Addenbrooke's visits summary report
Addenbrooke's visit - ENT clinic
Addenbrooke's visit - Dermatology report
Addenbrooke's visit - Opthamolgy report

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