Norfolk’s community health trust is looking for volunteers to assess environments at its inpatient units across the county.
Each year, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) carries out Patient Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE), which involve members of the public scoring the quality of non-clinical services and condition of buildings.
Sites are scored on Cleanliness, Environment, Food, Dementia Friendly Environment, and Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing of patients.
Bev Goldthorpe, NCH&C’s Patient Environment Lead, said: “Patient feedback is of utmost importance to us and is a useful measure of how well we are doing. It also highlights areas where there may be room for improvement.
“We look at environments from the patients’ perspective, and the results give us a clear picture of how our environment is seen by those using it, and how they can improve it. Assessors act as an advocate for the patient.”
The annual assessments take place at Colman Hospital, Norwich; Benjamin Court, Cromer; Ogden Court, Wymondham; Cranmer House, Fakenham; and NCH&C’s community hospitals in Norwich, Dereham, Kelling, North Walsham, and Swaffham.
As part of their role, assessors talk to patients about their experiences, sample food, and visit NCH&C’s stroke units, palliative care centres and general inpatient units.
Volunteers may be asked to participate in one or more assessments, which can last from three to six hours, depending on the size of the site. A training session for existing patient assessors and anyone interested in becoming a patient assessor has been scheduled for the morning of Friday 19th February at Norwich Community Hospital. The assessments will take place from early March until mid-June.
Applicants should be over 18 years old and are responsible for their own travel arrangements. Mileage costs are reimbursed at the current rate for Volunteers.
Anyone interested in becoming a Patient Assessor is invited to contact Bev Goldthorpe on 01603 272601 or email: [email protected]
www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk
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