THE ACCIDENT and emergency services at Poole Hospital have been rated 'better performing' by the patients who use them.

Services at the hospital were surveyed by the government inspectorate the Care Quality Commission, who asked patients about their experiences of urgent and emergency care, with nearly 450 patients putting forward their views.

More than 90 per cent of respondents said they were treated with dignity and respect ‘all the time’ in the hospital’s A&E department against a national average of 79 per cent.

Just over 40 per cent rated their experience in the department as '10 out of 10’ whilst the national average for this measure is just 29 per cent.

More than 90 per cent of visitors spoke to a nurse or doctor within an hour of arriving, with almost half of patients speaking with a nurse or doctor within 15 minutes.

And 83 per cent felt they had enough time to discuss their care against a national average of 75 per cent, while almost 90 per cent felt they had confidence and trust in the doctors and nurses they spoke to.

Consultant in emergency medicine across Poole and The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals, Mr Lee Gray, said while the results are encouraging there was no room for complacency.

“These results are really something to be proud of, to have patients at Poole rate us as better than average is a real boost for our staff who work tirelessly to ensure patients are seen and cared for in a timely way,” he said.

“Whilst it is encouraging and welcome, there is more hard work to do to ensure we continue to meet the needs and expectations of our patients, and we are constantly seeking ways in which we can improve.

“Across east Dorset we have two great emergency teams, with the team at Bournemouth recently achieving top-five status nationally for meeting waiting standards. I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff that make up the emergency departments whose efforts are behind these results.

“Looking ahead we want to build on the excellent integration and team working that is now underway to provide even better emergency care services in the future.”