Services at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill are continuing to improve according to the latest survey from an NHS health watchdog. Figures released this week by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) showed the vast majority of patients at the hospital run by the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust felt they were treated with dignity and respect, and were happy with their experience. The review also found that the East Surrey’s performance had improved across many areas and that patient confidence in the doctors and nurses had grown.

The results were a marked improvement on those of last year, when the hospital was ranked in the bottom 20% of trusts for six out of ten categories focused on.

The CQC sent its questionnaire to in-patients treated at the hospital in August 2012. The tenth survey covered a range of topics including food, hospital cleanliness and standards of treatment. Based on patient responses, the hospital received scores out of ten for each question. The results saw the East Surrey score highly in several areas, including gaining a nine out of ten for room and ward cleanliness, and 9.6 for patient privacy during treatment. For 24 of the questions the hospital was graded as ‘statistically significantly improved,’ meaning that the change in the results was very unlikely to have occurred by chance. In an effort to improve its services following last year's survey results, the trust has continuously monitored patient feedback though it’s “Your Care Matters” survey since last November. All patients are encouraged to complete this after they leave the hospital. The trust also uses the Patient Opinion website at www.patientopinion.org.uk to track feedback. The independent site lets patients put their opinions, good and bad, on the website, and the trust aims to respond to all comments posted.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust chief executive Michael Wilson, said: “I am really pleased to see an improvement in our results and that patient confidence in the treatment they receive at the hospital is growing.”

Mr Wilson said: “Last year we were ranked in the bottom 20% of trusts for six out of ten categories. “This year we are ranked with the majority – 60% - of trusts, which reflects the on-going hard work and commitment of the staff across the hospital and trust.”

Citing the Your Care Matters survey, he added: “Every month we get the latest results from this survey. “Importantly, this shows us that we are maintaining the standards highlighted in the CQC survey. “Both these surveys will help us target areas that we need to continue working on.” Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust also provides a range of services at hospitals in Crawley, Horsham, Dorking, Caterham and the Oxted Health Centre. It serves a growing population of 420,000 residents in East Surrey and north-east West Sussex, and the East Surrey Hospital is the designated hospital for Gatwick Airport and the M25. The trust employs about 3,000 staff and has an annual budget of £195 million. Website: www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk