Elmsworth Health Trust: Patients’ Charter

At Elmsworth Health Trust, we are committed to delivering a world-class service. Our

standards apply whether you are:
 A patient
 A relative or friend of a patient
 Someone simply seeking advice.
This Patient Charter sets out what we can do for you and what you are entitled to.

Mission Statement
The purpose of the Elmsworth Health Trust is to:
 Promote good health
 Diagnose and treat those who are ill
 Provide health care for those with continuing needs.
Elsmworth Health Trust is committed to these objectives:
 Irrespective of the individual's ability to pay
 In partnership with people and other organisations
 Within the resources that are made available.

Codes of Conduct
Our staff will introduce themselves to you and explain how they can help. All staff
will wear a name badge to enable you to identify them.

Individual Standards of Behaviour

All staff shall adhere to the highest standards in the following areas:

Courtesy
You have the right to be treated in a courteous manner at all times by every member
of the hospital staff.
At all times our staff we will treat you with courtesy and dignity, and will respect
your rights to privacy and confidentiality.

Privacy
You have the right to have your privacy respected, especially when the nature of your
clinical condition is being discussed with you or your relatives by hospital staff.

Confidentiality
You have the right to total confidentiality in respect of your medical records.
You have the right to request the hospital to make details of your relevant medical
records available to you. Hospitals will normally meet your wishes in this regard,
except where it would be considered that this would cause serious harm to your
physical or mental health. In such circumstances, the information may be
communicated through a health professional, normally your family doctor.

Religious Beliefs
You have the right to be treated with respect for your religious and philosophical
beliefs.
Consultant-based Services
We provide a 24-hour consultant-based medical service, which means that you will
normally be seen by a consultant when you visit the hospital in order that you receive
the best possible care.

Nursing Services
We will ensure that a named, qualified nurse, midwife or other health care
professional takes a personal responsibility for your treatment and care during your
time with us.

Standards of Service
Staff at our hospitals and health centres are committed to achieving specified
standards in the following areas:

Admissions to Hospital
Elmsworth Health Trust has set the following standards for hospital admissions:

Urgent Treatment
If you are in need of urgent attention, you will be admitted as soon as is practicable,
normally within one week.

Planned Treatment
If your consultant puts you on our waiting list for a planned admission again you will
be seen as soon as possible.
 In 70% of cases, this means admissions within 13 weeks of your outpatient
appointment.
 In 90% of cases admission is within 46 weeks.
 For others it may be longer, but it is our intention that no one should wait longer
than 18 months.
Following a planned admission to hospital, you will be seen by a member of the
medical staff as soon as possible. This should always be within one hour of your
arrival.

Emergency Treatment
Should you require emergency treatment, you will be admitted immediately to your
nearest hospital.

Appointments
Elmsworth Health Trust has set the following standards for hospital appointment:

Waiting Times During Appointments

It is our intention that you should be seen by a doctor or other professional no later
than 30 minutes after your appointment time.
If for any reason these standards cannot be met, you will be given an apology and full
explanation for the delay.

Routine Appointments
If you are referred for a routine appointment, you will normally be seen within 13
weeks of your date of referral.
Unfortunately, for some clinics the wait is longer and we are aiming to reduce such
waiting times during the coming year.
You will be given a specific appointment time and will be seen as quickly as possible.

Urgent Appointments
If you are referred to us by your GP for an urgent outpatient appointment, we aim to
see you within one week of referral.

Accident and Emergency Services

If you require accident and emergency treatment, and arrive at your Casualty
Department, you will be assessed immediately by a professional and your needs
identified. Emergency treatment will always take priority over minor injuries.
However, we aim to see all the patients within 45 minutes of their assessment. If this
is not possible, a full explanation will be given to you by a member of staff.
If you need to be admitted to hospital from the Casualty Department, we guarantee to
admit you to a ward as soon as possible. In the vast majority of cases this should be
within one hour of a decision being taken to admit you.

Discharge from Hospital

We will ensure that you and your family are involved in the planning of your
discharge from hospital.
A discharge plan will be provided for your continuing health and social care needs.
This will be communicated to your General Practitioner. Your GP will be notified
promptly of your discharge.

Services For Children

We recognise the fears and concerns of children and parents when hospital care is
needed.
Detailed standards are available from staff in the Children's Services.
Where children require treatment in the Accident and Emergency Department we will
ensure, wherever possible, that children are not detained for more than one hour in
total.

Teaching and Research

You have the right to refuse to participate in the teaching of medical students by your
consultant. Your permission must be sought before a consultant can involve you in the
teaching of students. However, your co-operation would be important in view of the
need to ensure that future doctors obtain the best possible training.
You have the right to refuse to take part in any clinical trials or research concerning
the use of new drugs or medical devices. Clinical trials and experimental treatment
should never be carried out without your informed consent being obtained by the
hospital or medical personnel.

Help Us To Help You

At Elmsworth Health Trust we view our relationship with you, the public, as a
partnership.
Keeping Us Informed
You can help us deliver a quality service by:
 Arriving for all appointments on time
 Advising the relevant department directly if you are unable to attend
 Telling us if your personal details change--for example, your address or General
Practitioner (GP) details
 Showing consideration for other people in the hospital and health centres, and
keeping noise levels to a minimum
 Complying with signs around the hospital and health centres, including those
asking you not to smoke, not to use mobile phones, and our advice on the number
of visitors and visiting times.

Submitting Feedback
Your ideas and suggestions for improving our service are always welcomed. In this
way, you can enable us to build upon the service we are already providing and to take
account of your needs and wishes.
We hope that you will feel able to fill in any patient satisfaction questionnaires that
we circulate to you.
Like all large organisations, Elmsworth Health Trust may not always meet the high
standards it sets itself. It is our policy to encourage patients and visitors to inform us
when a service falls below the desired standard.

Making a Complaint
If you feel you wish to make a specific complaint, please do so in writing to The
Chief Executive, at Elmsworth Health Trust, who will ensure that you will receive an
acknowledgement of your complaint within 24 hours and a full response as soon as
possible, but certainly no later than one month after your complaint was made.

Information and Records

Our staff will provide you with sufficient information to enable you to make informed
decisions about your treatment and care.
If you so wish, we will ensure that arrangements are in place to inform your relatives
and friends about your progress.

Delays and Postponements

Because of unavoidable circumstances such as staff sickness or emergencies we may
have to postpone your appointment or admission date.
Should this happen, you will be given an apology and notified by letter or telephone:
we guarantee to give you a full explanation for the postponement.
If your admission is re-scheduled, we guarantee to admit you to our hospitals within
one month of the original admission date.

Identity of Staff
You have the right to be informed of the name of the consultant under whose care you
are being placed, and, if you are to be referred to another consultant, you have the
right to be informed of the reasons for such referral.

Medical Information
You have the right to be informed of the nature of your illness or condition in
language that you can fully understand, and to be informed concerning:
 The results of your tests and x-rays
 The purpose, method, likely duration and expected benefit of the proposed
treatment
 Alternative forms of treatment
 Possible pain or discomfort, risks and side-effects of the proposed treatment

In circumstances where a staff member considers that disclosure of medical

information would cause serious harm to your physical or mental health, the
information may be communicated through a health professional, normally your
General Practitioner.