Earlier this year, Equilibrium Healthcare ran its annual Service User Survey. The survey is designed to capture feedback and provide insights into satisfaction levels of those in our care across each of our services. The perspectives of service users contribute to healthcare outcomes and our culture of continuous improvement.
In this year’s annual survey, service users at Oakland House had the highest number of respondents, demonstrating their active engagement in their own care and desire to help shape the services provided to them. Of 32 current service users, 19 responded to the survey.
Oakland House supports individuals aged 18+ and 65+ with enduring mental health and co-occurring conditions, some of whom are subject to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The vision of the team is to make daily life as independent as possible by ensuring that service users are fully involved in their own care.
The importance of service user feedback
Understanding the perspectives of service users ensures that care provision and support meets their current and continuing needs. Through proactive engagement, we empower service users to be actively involved in their own care. Their views enable Equilibrium Healthcare to deliver improved care and achieve better outcomes.
Several studies into service user engagement in their own health Hibbard et al. (2004), care planning Coulter et al. (2015), Sudore et al. (2008), the need for strong social networks Berkman et al. (2000), overall satisfaction Jenkinson et al. (2002), and providing feedback mechanisms Doyle et al. (2013), highlight a link to improved overall health and the importance of measuring satisfaction in these areas across our services.
So how does Oakland House rank in these and other key areas? 2024 Survey Highlights:
Support to Manage Health: 73% agree that they are supported to manage their own health in a way that makes sense to them.
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- 46% strongly agree
- 27% agree.
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I am supported to manage my health in a way that makes sense to me
Empowering Service Users: 77% agree that they feel empowered to get the support, care and treatment that they need and want.
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- 46% strongly agree
- 31% agree.
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I am empowered to get the care, support and treatment that I need and want.
Care Planning: 73% agree that there is a plan for what happens next and who will do what when they move between services, settings or area.
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- 46% strongly agree
- 27% agree.
When I move between services, settings or areas, there is a plan for what happens next and who will do what, and all practical arrangements are in place.
Forward Planning: 73% agree that they are supported to plan ahead for important life changes that they can anticipate.
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- 50% strongly agree
- 23% agree
I am supported to plan ahead for important changes in my life that I can anticipate
Informed and in control: 73% agree that they are in control of planning their care and support and that if they need help, there are people who know and care about them involved.
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- 46% strongly agree
- 27% agree
I am in control of planning my care and support. If I need help with this, people who know and care about me are involved
Accessing health records: 57% know how to access health and care records and decide which personal information is shared with other people, including their family.
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- 42% strongly agree
- 15% agree
I know how to access my health and care records and decide which personal information can be shared with other people, including my family, care staff, school or college.
Medication and Treatment Decision-making: 77% agree that they know why and are involved in decision-making if a change of treatment or medication is required.
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- 54% strongly agree
- 23% agree
If my treatment, including medication, has to change, I know why and am involved in the decision
Timely support: 93% know what to do and who to contact when they realise there is a risk of something going wrong or if their health condition is worsening.
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- 62% strongly agree
- 31% agree
I know what to do and who I can contact when I realise that things might be at risk of going wrong or my health condition may be worsening.
Social Support: 81% of respondents strongly agree that they can maintain meaningful connections outside of Oakland House.
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- 62% strongly agree
- 19% agree
I can keep in touch and meet up with people who are important to me, including family, friends and people who share my interests, identity and culture
Encouragement to Provide Feedback: 66% agree that they are encouraged to provide feedback into their care in ways that work for them and know how it was acted upon.
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- 54% strongly agree
- 12% agree
I am encouraged and enabled to feedback about my care in ways that work for me and I know how it was acted on
Treated with Dignity: 80% agree that they are treated with respect and dignity.
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- 56% strongly agree
- 24% agree
I am treated with respect and dignity
High Satisfaction Levels
This year’s survey recognises the commitment of Oakland House in empowering individuals and promoting independence and well-being. 81% of respondents rate care and support provision highly, giving the service a maximum score of 5.0. One service user commented “Of all care homes and institutions this is one of the best. Staffing levels are good, always someone available. I do not want to go on a medical ward. I want to stay here until I die.”
In the eyes of its service users, Oakland House remains a leading example of enduring mental health community care.
Citations:
- Hibbard, J. H., Stockard, J., Mahoney, E. R., & Tusler, M. (2004). Development of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM): conceptualizing and measuring activation in patients and consumers. Health Services Research, 39(4 Pt 1), 1005-1026.
- Coulter, A., Entwistle, V. A., & Eccles, A. (2015). Shared decision making: everyone wants it, so why isn’t it happening? World Psychiatry, 14(2), 117-120. Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000). From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social Science & Medicine, 51(6), 843-857.
- Sudore, R. L., Yaffe, K., Satterfield, S., Harris, T. B., Mehta, K. M., Simonsick, E. M., … & Schillinger, D. (2008). Limited literacy and mortality in the elderly: the health, aging, and body composition study. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23(6), 723-726.
- Ross, S. E., & Lin, C. T. (2003). The effects of promoting patient access to medical records: a review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 10(2), 129-138.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2001). Improving Health and Wellbeing. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. - Doyle, C., Lennox, L., & Bell, D. (2013). A systematic review of evidence on the links between patient experience and clinical safety and effectiveness. BMJ Open, 3(1), e001570.
- Jenkinson, C., Coulter, A., & Bruster, S. (2002). The Picker Patient Experience Questionnaire: development and validation using data from in-patient surveys in five countries. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 14(5), 353- 358.