Healthwatch revisits LRI ED: report of findings

Healthwatch Rutland in collaboration with Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire visited the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) Emergency Department (ED) in September 2022 and highlighted many service user concerns. Based on what the public told us and the observations of our visit teams, 16 recommendations were included in the resulting Healthwatch report.

The revisit conducted by Healthwatch in September 2023 uses these 16 recommendations as a framework for assessing changes that have been made to improve patient experience over the year since the original visit.

Our latest report finds that improvements have been made:

• Repositioning of seating has created some more room for wheelchairs
• Enhanced patient information is available on display screens in some areas of the ED
• Floor markings have been installed in front of check in desks to keep queuing people further back and new signs indicate that patients can request to discuss their conditions away from the desk in private
• Wall screens with confusing patient numbering information have been decommissioned 

Our report acknowledges the extensive work carried out across the LLR Integrated Care System to improve patient flows and the increasing demand placed on ED. 

We recommend continuing the improvement works and call for specific changes. These include the provision of supportive materials for people who do not read or speak English and those with sensory impairment and reducing the high level of background noise in the ED.