Pennine Acute Trust is in the right PLACE according to patients

Review of the standards of cleanliness and the environment for patients

Eighty patient assessors, 72 staff assessors, five external assessors and representatives from the Department of Health attended each of the Trust’s hospitals – North Manchester General Hospital, The Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and the specialist Floyd Unit at Birch Hill Hospital – during the spring and summer months of 2013, as part of the Government’s new patient-led inspection regime, called ‘PLACE’.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced the establishment of PLACE (Patient-led Assessments of the Care Environment) on 6 January 2012 as a replacement to the patient environment action teams (PEAT) which had been previously inspecting hospitals and health care environments.

Each hospital Trust in the country receives a visit by a PLACE team to inspect the premises and facilities from a patient’s perspective. The assessments cover:

• Cleanliness of premises 
• Condition, appearance and maintenance of internal and external facilities 
• All aspects of privacy, dignity and wellbeing of facilities 
• Food and hydration relating to the catering service for patients and visitors, including taste and temperature of food 

Results from the PLACE assessments show that Pennine Acute Trust is delivering above average standards and patient assessors were complimentary about the services offered.

The Trust recruited its own patient and staff assessors in line with the PLACE policy, so that patient assessors have a voice in the standard of healthcare facilities.

Patient John Wright took up the role of lead PLACE assessor. He said: “As lead assessor I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every individual involved in these hospital site assessments.

"The staff have been remarkable for their un-wavered dedication to their job, whilst taking on board the ongoing changes within the NHS dynamic.”

A report and summary action plan have been placed on the public pages of the Trust’s website as a requirement of PLACE.

PLACE 2014 will commence on 3 March 2014 and finish on 30 May 2014 with the scores achieved published by NHS England later in the year.