Patient at a number of doctors surgeries and health centres in Newham will now be able to give real-time comments about their experiences with the intrduction of touchscreen devices.

East London NHS Foundation Trust is now the using technology to get real-time feedback from patients and those who use their services. The Trust has introduced Touch-screen devices in its community services and Digi-pens in inpatient services.

In Newham, the Touch Screens can be found in the following NHS sites:

*The Passmore Edward Building in East Ham

*Vicarage Lane Health Centre near Stratford

*The Hub, Star Lane, Canning Town

*The Appleby Centre in Custom House

*West Ham Lane Centre in West Ham

*Romford Road Centre at 29 Romford Road

*The Royal Docks Health Centre on East Ham Manor Way

The devices are simple to use and only contain a few questions which can be answered ‘Yes/No’ or rate from 1 to 5 by touching the screen. Feedback is anonymous.

Reception staff and health care staff will prompt people to give feedback about their visit. The Touch Screens can be found in Reception areas or close to consulting rooms.

Paul Sherman, Associate Director for People Participation said: “Getting feedback in this way will have a real impact on how we deliver services and implement improvements. It means that individuals can tell us straightaway how they feel about their care and teams can get fresh up-to-date feedback about the service they are providing. Information will come to us quicker which means we can act on it rather than looking back some weeks or even months after the event.”

A different system is in place for in-patient wards and Community Services such as the Virtual Ward and the Extended Primary Care Team. Here a special digital pen is in use called a Digi-pen. To support this process, the Trust has trained former service users to use the Digi-pens and to conduct surveys on the wards.

In Community Services, staff such as District Nurses or Community Matrons will present patients with the pen and questionnaires to give their feedback.