The Saolta Group has this week launched its new public and patient engagement strategy for improving communication with families and involving patients in their own care at Galway hospitals.
The group wide Patient and Public Engagement Strategy 2020-2023 is meant to build on work which has taken place at individual Saolta hospitals in recent years.
It focuses on three main areas of: Communications; Working with others; and Working in partnership with patients, families and carers, with projects to enable them in the next three years.
Some of the initiatives already underway include the rollout of the national communications programme for clinical teams and optimising the use of technology and eHealth initiatives to enhance patient communication.
CEO of the Saolta Group Tony Canavan said that they are committed to improving their “culture of engagement” with patients and families.
“We know that listening and learning from our patients’ experience enables us to deliver better care and improves health outcomes.”
Paul Hooton, the new Saolta Group Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery added, “We know our patients and their carers want to be engaged in decisions about their health, and those who are more engaged generally experience better outcomes.
“Over the next three years through the implementation of this Strategy our intention is to build on work already underway.”
“This will include ensuring patients are involved in decisions about their own care and seeking patient feedback about their experiences.”
“This work will be led by the Directors of Nursing on each of our hospital sites and I look forward to supporting them.”
The development of the strategy was led by former Director of Nursing and Midwifery Jean Kelly, who said that getting patiently actively involved in their own care is more crucial than even as people are living longer, often with multiple chronic conditions.
“A key focus of Sláintecare is keeping people well in their own homes and shifting the focus of care to the community.”
“Key to that is the development of active partnerships between patients, their health providers and the wider community.”
Copies of the Patient and Public Engagement Strategy 2020-2023 are available to download here.
