Kent and Medway Partnership ‘mostly comparable’ with other trusts

Feedback from 271 service users for the approach of staff, medication, talking therapies, care coordinators, care planning and reviews, crisis care, day-to-day living and overall experience are rated as being broadly in line with other trusts.

However, improvements were noted as being required in making sure medication reviews happen regularly, making sure care plans set out clear goals for service users , and making sure that people get the help they want when they call their crisis care phone number. 

Key findings:

The trust performs significantly better than the national average when it comes to making sure service users know they can bring their friends and family to care plan review meetings

• Over 95 per cent of services users feel they were listened to and were treated with dignity and respect. 
• Over 90 per cent of services users feel they had their views taken into account 
• Almost 90 per cent of service users feel the purpose of their medication was fully explained to them 
• 90 per cent of service users find talking therapies useful 
• Almost 90 per cent of service users feel their care is well organised by their care co-ordinator and over 90% feel they can contact them if they have a problem 
• Over 90 per cent of service users feel the Trust’s services have helped them to start achieving their goals 
• 99 per cent of service users feel they were given a chance to express their views at their care plan reviews meetings 
• 85 per cent of service users rate their overall care as excellent, very good, good or fair 
• Three quarters of service users felt their friends and family had been involved in their care as much as they would like.

The results show that service users are seeing improvements in the following areas:

• More service users are being told about the side effects of medication 
• More service users have their views taken into account when deciding which medications to take 
• More service users feel their care is well organised by their care co-ordinator and over that they can contact them if they have a problem 
• More service users are involved in the development of their care plan and more care plans are clear about what people should do in a crisis 
• More people are aware they can bring a friend or relative to care plan review meetings

There are some individual issues where the rust currently scores lower than the national average and work is underway to make improvement in these areas. They include:

• Making sure medication reviews happen regularly 
• Making sure care plans set out clear goals for service users 
• Making sure that people get the help they want when they call their crisis care phone number 
• Despite 85 per cent of service users rating their overall care as excellent, very good, good or fair, we need to do more to ensure there are more excellent and good scores.

Chief executive Bob Deans said: “Whilst it is pleasing to see that overall the level of care across Kent and Medway is generally high, we continue to work hard to provide the best possible services for the people who use them.”

He added: “I am sure that with a clear focus on these issues over the next 12 months we will see an improvement in patient experience and satisfaction. Regularly listening to what service users tell us, in individual services and localities, is paramount for all of us that work in health and social care in Kent and Medway.”