East Devon hospitals among best in England

Results from a national hospital survey have revealed that inspectors rate East Devon’s community hospitals among the best in England.

The survey, conducted by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), rated hospitals on their environment, catering, cleanliness and on the privacy and dignity afforded to patients.

Devon’s community hospitals were graded well above the mark, with Honiton Community Hospital being rated as ‘excellent’ across the board - the best possible mark.

Axminster Hospital received an ‘excellent’ for food, privacy and dignity, as well as a ‘good’ for the environment.

Elsewhere, the privacy and dignity were rated ‘excellent’ at Seaton Hospital and the environment and food were graded as ‘good’.

Nineteen of NHS Devon’s 21 community hospitals received at least one excellent rating in environment, food or privacy and dignity.

No hospital in Devon received a poor rating in any of the categories.

Sally Slade, NHS Devon’s managing director for health and social care, said: “Over the past year we have upgraded the facilities at most of our community hospitals through annual deep cleans and planned maintenance, including extensive work on ensuring privacy and dignity for all patients.

“We have worked in partnership with our leagues of friends and comforts funds who have helped us to provide those little extra things that make our patient’s stay that little bit more pleasurable.”