Recent results from a national patient care assessment have recognised Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for providing high-standard environments for patients.
The Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) are nationally regulated and set a recognised standard across all NHS Trusts regarding the quality and standards of care environments.
Matthew Petchey, the trust’s Patient Experience and Involvement Manager, commented:
“The opinions of our patients are vital in helping to shape the future of the Trust. This is why the PLACE assessments are so important – enabling us to use views of people living across the Black Country as the driving force for change.
“We’re very pleased to be identified as exceeding national standards across several areas and meeting them in others. This year, we hope to build on the success of these results, ensuring continuity in the places we’re exceeding the national standards, while working together to support areas that need more help.
“This positive outcome reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving care environments for patients, visitors, and staff. We would like to thank everyone involved in the assessment process.”
The assessments involve local people, known as patient assessors, visiting hospitals to evaluate how the environment supports clinical care. They assess factors such as privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness, general building maintenance, and the environment's support for dementia and disability care.
Chief Nurse at Black Country Healthcare NHS FT, Carolyn Green, said:
“Our performance in 2024’s PLACE assessment highlights the brilliant work of our Facilities team, support staff and patient assessors. It is thanks to their efforts that our Trust can provide consistently safe and clean environments.
“We’re also incredibly pleased that this year, we had the highest level of patient support and involvement on record. This is testament to the brilliant work of our people that we’ve been able to get more patients involved in the process, helping to provide the truest reflection of the quality of our services.”
The 2024 PLACE assessment yielded positive results for Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, with several areas surpassing national averages and others demonstrating strong levels of satisfaction, approaching the national benchmark.
Image credit: Black Country Healthcare NHS FT
