PATIENTS at Poole Hospital are now able to rate the care they have received on a re-launched website.

The hospital's public website has a range of new features including a feedback section for patients.

It invites them to rate the overall standard of care at the hospital as well as particular aspects such as cleanliness and hygiene, the quality of information provided and whether they were treated with dignity and respect.

Martin Smits, director of nursing and patient services at Poole Hospital, said: “Our website is used by up to 15,000 people every month so it's an extremely important source of information for our patients and visitors.

“We hope the new site will make it much easier for users to find the information they're looking for, whether that be practical advice about coming into hospital or more detailed information about our services and the trust.

“The new site also gives us the opportunity to hear more about what people think of our services. I would therefore encourage patients to take a few moments to fill out the online feedback form after a hospital visit - hearing directly from our patients not only helps us to improve our services but also allows us to pass on positive feedback and give well-earned credit to our staff.”

The updated site includes practical information such as contact details, directions, visiting times and job vacancies as well as more general information about the trust and the services it provides.

There is a directory of consultants, A-Z of wards and services, a live feed from NHS Jobs, information on board members, children's health and a new section on Poole Hospital Charity.

It was developed with help from patients, staff and stakeholders and was supported with funding from the Poole Hospital League of Friends. It can be viewed at poole.nhs.uk.