National Inpatient Experience Survey underway in Cavan

The results will be published later this year.

The fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey is now underway in Cavan and Monaghan Hospital.

The annual survey which is the largest of its kind in Ireland, offers patients the opportunity to share their experiences of healthcare and tell HIQA what is working well and what improvements they believe are necessary. This provides a clear picture of the safety and quality of care in Irish hospitals, as seen through the eyes of patients.

Almost 26,000 patients are eligible to participate in this year’s survey. Since 2017, over 50,100 patients have completed the survey nationally, making over 86,000 comments on the care and treatment they received in hospital. Last year’s response rate of almost 40% in Cavan and Monaghan Hospital indicates the strong desire of patients to talk about their experiences in hospital in order to bring about meaningful change.

The National Inpatient Experience Survey contains a total of 67 questions on topics such as admission to hospital, care and treatment on the ward, trust in hospital staff, respect and dignity, and care during the pandemic. All patients aged over 16 years-of-age who spent 24 hours or more in hospital and were discharged during the month of May are eligible to participate in the survey.

HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards Rachel Flynn said: “I would like to encourage all eligible patients to tell us about their recent experiences of care in Cavan and Monaghan Hospital. By sharing your views, you will provide us with invaluable information on the improvements that are necessary to deliver a more person-centred health service in your area. It is by listening and learning from your experiences that we can bring about effective and sustainable changes across the healthcare sector.”

Su-Zann O’Callaghan, General Manager of Cavan and Monaghan Hospital, commented: “Cavan and Monaghan Hospital would like to invite all eligible patients to take part in the fifth National Inpatient Experience Survey. This annual survey gives us the opportunity to learn from your experience in our hospitals. We would really appreciate it if you could tell us what we are doing well and more importantly, where we can improve.”

To find out more about the survey, watch HIQA's short animation here. You can also visit their website yourexperience.ie.