Liverpool University Dental Hospital Listening Event Report - January 2024

Introduction

On Tuesday 16 January 2024 we held a Listening Event at Liverpool University Dental Hospital, which is part of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT). We spoke with patients, family members and staff and listened to what they had to say about their experiences. We wanted to find out what people thought was good and what they thought needed improving at the hospital.

This event was part of our ongoing programme of visiting local health and social care providers to speak with patients/service users and collect their feedback about the services.  It had been several years since we last visited the Dental Hospital and we were keen to learn what patients had to tell us. 

35 surveys were completed or partially completed. In several cases, patients were called into their appointments while we were speaking with them, so part of their surveys were left incomplete. However, we took it as a positive sign that patients were generally called in promptly and were not having to wait very long to be seen. 

This report details all the feedback gathered on the day, and also includes our own comments and observations.

Thanks to all the hospital staff who took the time to welcome and speak with us. Thanks in particular to Lisa Marginier, Shelley Connelly and Alison Marks at the Dental Hospital and to Alison Germain-Martin (Patient Experience Manager, LUHFT) for all their support prior to the visit and on the day itself. 

Thanks are also due to the patients and family members who agreed to share their experiences with us on the day. 

Prior to speaking with patients we were shown around the building to get an overview of the layout and departments, which was very helpful. 

We then spoke to patients in Reception 3, X-Ray, Restorative Dentistry, Special Care Dentistry, Orthodontics and Paediatrics. 

Although the building is aging and in need of structural repairs to address issues including leaks, the building environment was clean and generally well-maintained throughout. Work was taking place on the ground floor to replace pipework due to the installation of new dental chairs upstairs.

The week we visited was the first week of the EPR (Electronic Patient Records) roll-out for students – a move away from paper-based records. Although this had the potential to impact on services we did not receive any negative feedback about this and, from a patient perspective, everything appeared to be running smoothly. 

Additional Comments, Questions & Recommendations

1. We were pleased to see that Healthwatch Liverpool information was visible on posters displayed around the hospital on the day of our visit, although these were not the most up-to-date posters (which include QR codes) produced by Healthwatch Liverpool, Healthwatch Knowsley and Healthwatch Sefton. We would like to re-send these so that they can be displayed around the building allowing patients an easy way to share feedback with us, which will then form part of monthly data-sharing with LUHFT.
2. We were not able to speak with as many patients in Special Care Dentistry as we had hoped to. This was partly because Healthwatch Liverpool’s Lead for Learning Disability and Neurodivergence was unable to take part in the visit due to the weather conditions. We would therefore like to arrange a visit specifically to this department to learn more about its work, and, potentially, to act as a precursor to arranging a visit by members of our Learning Disability and Neurodivergent Sub-Groups. 
3. It may be useful to place ‘up’ and ‘down’ arrows on the staircases to reduce the incidence of people colliding when moving between floors.
4. One patient suggested that a review of the ‘call system’ for students needing assistance from supervisors would be useful, and that a system using lights or something that allowed students to maintain the use of both hands whilst waiting for help or advice might save time for students and patients. 
5. Although the majority of patients who spoke to us felt confident that they knew who to contact if they had any questions, and how to contact them, there was a significant minority who were unsure. Therefore, more information about Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and how to contact key staff in each department might be welcome.
6. Similarly, a more pro-active approach to keeping patients updated during gaps between treatments, and asking whether they have any questions during these periods, would help to reduce uncertainty or anxiety.
7. Does the Dental Hospital have targets for answering telephone calls within a set timeframe? Any additional capacity on the main switchboard or departmental reception desks would be helpful to patients. 
8. Access to treatment spaces with additional privacy for patients who request them would also help to reduce anxiety for some people – and not only those who attend the Special Care Dentistry unit. 
9. We’d be interested to know how vulnerable patients are identified and how this is flagged up in their records. Any reduction in the number of times that vulnerable patients have to re-tell their stories or explain their circumstances to staff would be welcome.
10. We understand the constraints on the Dental Hospital and that self-referral is not currently an option but given the extent of the dental care crisis locally (as nationally) it may be helpful to improve communications about this with the public who may feel that a dental hospital is the logical place to come when experiencing dental/gum pain.