Results of the 2006/2007 Hospice Patient Survey

The National Minimum Standards for Independent Healthcare, published in 2002 by the Care Standards Commission (now the Healthcare Commission), states that hospices are required to conduct an annual patient survey. In response to this, a Patient Survey Group (with representation from independent

hospices, Marie Curie Cancer Care and with input from the Care Standards Commission) was set up by Help the Hospices. Its goal was to develop a questionnaire suitable for use in all adult hospices. The 2006/07 survey is now the second survey conducted in response to this requirement. The first Patient Survey was conducted in 2004/05.

This report details the findings for the 53 Hospices participated in the second patient survey circulated in

2006/2007. The self-complete survey incorporated questions relating to: information giving; staff attitudes; patient involvement in care planning; confidence in staff; privacy and respect; catering and hygiene; awareness of the process for complaints; and support when patients were discharged or had died. 1352 questionnaires were returned from daycare patients and 1052 from inpatients.