PATIENTS praised the county’s under-pressure A&E departments in a survey but raised concerns including waiting times.

Oxford’s John Radcliffe and Banbury’s Horton General Hospital scored seven or above out of 10 in six out of eight categories in the survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

But waiting times were rated 6.1 and leaving A&E 5.7 by the 306 respondents of the survey of those who attended from January to March this year.

Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith said: “Especially considering the enormous pressure A&E has been under, this feedback reflects creditably on the doctors, nurses and paramedic staff.”

Our top stories

The CQC rated Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the two hospitals, four out of 10 for information about how long people would have to wait for an examination. It also got this score for patients prescribed medication while in A&E being told about possible side effects.

The trust was also rated five for how staff explained when patients could resume “usual activities”, for feeling staff considered their family and home situation before they left A&E and for being told about “danger signals” before leaving.

But the trust got full marks for people “not feeling threatened by other patients or visitors” and nine out of 10 for issues like how doctors listened and being given information about their condition.

Other nine out of 10 scores included being treated with respect and dignity, cleanliness of the department and ambulance waits.

The trust was rated average overall compared to other trusts.

It has struggled to meet a Government waiting target, where at least 95 per cent of patients should be seen within four hours of arrival.

The target was missed in 2013/14 and this year between April and September, when demand is typically lower than in winter.

Hospital managers have said rising demand from patients – some who could be seen through other NHS services – was hitting response times.

For example, an extra 233 people went to A&E in the latest week’s figures compared to the same week last year.

Rachel Coney, chief executive of the Healthwatch Oxfordshire official watchdog, urged people to give the body their views.

She said she hoped “to see clear plans emerging to improve satisfaction in the lowest scoring area: preparing to leave A&E”.

The hospital trust did not respond to a request for a comment.

  • What experience have you had at A&E? Call the newsdesk on 01865 425500.

HEADLINE SCORES

  • 2012 scores from last survey in brackets:
  • Reception and waiting, 6.1 (5.9)
  • Doctors and nurses, 8.1 (8)
  • Care and treatment, 7.7 (8)
  • Tests, 8.2 (8.1)
  • Hospital environment and facilities, 8.3 (8.4)
  • Leaving A&E, 5.7 (5.6)
  • Overall views on experience for issues like respect, 8.3 (6.4)


Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.