Responses to the National Patient Experience Survey are coming in fast, with just over four weeks left until the survey closes. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health would like to thank everyone who has already returned a completed surve and we encourage all eligible participants to do so by 26 July 2017.

The National Patient Experience Survey is the largest survey of the healthcare system ever conducted in Ireland. All adult patients who were discharged after 24 hours from any of the 40 participating public hospitals in May 2017 are invited to take part.

The Survey has seen a very positive response rate already, with over 36% of those invited to take part having returned their questionnaires.

All eligible patients received a survey in the post approximately two weeks after their discharge from hospital. The survey covers all aspects of a patient’s stay in hospital, including admission and discharge, the ward environment, interaction with staff, and care and treatment. Participants can return their completed surveys by post using the Freepost envelope, or fill out the survey online at www.patientexperience.ie.

HIQA’s Rachel Flynn, Programme Director for the National Patient Experience Survey, encourages everyone who has received a survey to return it by 26 July: “This is the first time that HIQA, the HSE and the Department of Health have come together to carry out a nationwide survey on this scale and the level of engagement from patients and healthcare staff has been very encouraging. We want to hear from all eligible patients so that we can learn more about what is working well in our hospitals, and what needs to change.”

“Patient experience surveys are routinely conducted in other countries such as Scotland, New Zealand and Denmark and the information gathered in this way is used to improve the standard and the safety of care provided to all patients. The National Patient Experience Survey is a great opportunity for patients to tell us about their personal experience and help shape health policy in Ireland”, Ms Flynn added.

The results of the National Patient Experience Survey will be published in the form of reports at national, hospital group and individual hospital level. This will allow for comparisons of patient experiences at a hospital-group and national level, but also, for the first time in Ireland, facilitate a comparison with international best practice.

Find out more about the National Patient Experience Survey at www.patientexperience.ie, on Twitter @NPESurvey or on Facebook /NPESurvey.

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For further information please contact:

Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

(01) 8147480 / 086 2447623, mwhelan@hiqa.ie