Inspiration North West - Vital Signs Care Cards
A Case Study on NHS Feedback
The Vital Signs Care Cards feasibility study was undertaken by the North West Strategic Health Authority. The objective was to capture NHS patient feedback to help understand the emotional priorities and needs of patients and the concerns of their families and/or carers.
Inspiration North West commissioned Customer Research Technology (CRT) and Organisation Development Services (ODS) Ltd to support the vital signs care card project throughout the feasibility study.
As the leading provider of research technology in the UK, CRT believes the value of patient satisfaction research can be significantly improved when the patients' experiences are captured at precisely at the point they occur.
CRT provided each site with a Tablet PC complete with its ViewPoint survey software – these electronic devices were used to capture data for the duration of the pilot.
Data was collected on or around the time of the discharge and the patients were asked the following questions:
1. Were you given care cards?
2. Were the care cards helpful in expressing your preferences for your care?
3. Were the preferences you expressed using the care cards reflected in the care you received?
4. Which of the following statements were most important to you during your stay? These statements reflected the care card narratives and information. Patients were able to tick all that applied during their stay in hospital but generally picked their top three choices.
• Confidence in managing my own health
• To feel treated with respect
• To feel reassured
• My treatment to make me feel better
• To feel safe
• To feel physically comfortable
• To understand my treatment and condition
• To feel staff are open and honest with me
Staff were also asked to register on the tablet:
• Whether they found the care cards helpful in understanding the patients’ needs
• Whether the care given to the patient was adapted to meet their needs
The pilot sites uploaded the data at regular intervals during the feasibility study and the data findings can be found in Appendix IV of the project report found here.
Assumptions are often made when delivering care – Vital Sign Care Cards provide a tool to distinguish individual care needs and to plan care effectively.
The project promoted effective communication not only with patients but with their relatives too.
“Special thanks to our partners CRT, who worked with us on supporting the implementation process and capture of patient data. It has provided great learning and insight to the challenges of care in today’s busy acute settings.”
Mandy Wearne, Director Service Experience, Inspiration North West (North West SHA)
