HEALTH organisations across Dorset have come together for The Big Ask - a unique survey backed by the Daily Echo which will help shape NHS services in the future.

This week we look at some of the initiatives introduced to improve the patients’ hospital experience.

When patients speak about their experiences of health care, it is often the little things that make the biggest difference.

A new scheme at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) to improve both the quality of care and the patient experience, has been the introduction of volunteer patient companions on one of the Trust’s elderly care wards.

The companions chat with patients and engage them in activities such as card games, puzzles and taking trips outside the ward.

The increased supervision and social interaction for the patients has helped reduce levels of patient anxiety.

Two years ago, Poole Hospital introduced the Golden Rules initiative, a simple list of instructions that all staff should follow from reinforcing the importance of listening to patients and their families, to ensuring staff make patients comfortable.

Mandy Baker, assistant director of nursing at Poole Hospital, explains: “A key part of the rules is ensuring that staff take the time to care, to observe and to listen. These may seem little things but can make a real difference to the experience our patients have with us.”

At both Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, another key focus has been on reducing the number of patient falls.

Audrey Redshaw, RBH manual handling and inpatient falls lead, says: “Having a fall can have a huge impact on the patient and their family. It can destroy confidence and therefore independence and extend a patient’s stay in hospital.”

At RBH, every single fall across the Trust is recorded and the information is used to identify high risk times and locations of falls.

Clinical leaders are then able to review ward management and levels of staffing at these times which on some wards has led to a noticeable reduction in the number of patient falls, in turn freeing up nursing time.

You can take part in The Big Ask online at bournemouth.ac.uk/ thebigask or paper copies can be requested from Ehren Milner at the Market Research Group on 01202 961379 or emilner@bournemouth .ac.uk. The survey closes on Monday, September 9.