Update on Thomas Young Ward at St George’s Hospital
What we did
With St George’s Hospital being a key hospital for residents of the Borough of Wandsworth its delivery of services and patient experience remain a high priority for local people.
In 2024 we came to an agreement that looking into the patient experience of the stroke pathway at St George’s Hospital would serve as a good focus and help build upon the national Stroke Patient Reported Experience Measure Survey (PREMs) from 2022/23.
We published our report in January 2025, which you can read here.
We found that within Thomas Young Ward there was a positive patient experience of staff and care with respondents generally very satisfied with the dignity and respect shown to them by staff and were confident in the care they were receiving.
We did however make some recommendations for improvements around better communication and information for patients during their time on the ward and further patient involvement and the collection of feedback
We caught up with staff at Thomas Young Ward to understand what changes have taken place since we published our report.
Our recommendations
We made the following recommendations for improvements back in January 2025.
Emma Burgess-James (Ward Manager at Thomas Young Ward) provided us with some updates on these.
Enhanced communication and information for patients during their time on the ward
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Wider distribution of patient information booklets
"Each patient is given a welcome booklet when they are admitted to the ward. The Wolfson therapy team give each patient a personalised information booklet with photographs of their treating team and depending on the patient’s communication needs they personalise the booklet for their understanding. The stroke team also give every patient a personalised stroke handbook. The keyworker will go through this with the patient/Next of Kin (NOK) where appropriate."
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Alternative formats for patients who cannot read the booklets
"These patients are supported by our speech and language team by using individual therapy sessions to support patients in understanding their hospital journey, goals and discharge plans. We are also using interpreters and language line to help ensure information is communicated for our patients."
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Regular provision of the medical/nursing care plan
"If the patient has a communication deficit or needs enhanced communication the team will use the speech and language or Occupational guidelines to support communication. We also use communication diaries and white boards for these patients. Patients with global aphasia they are supported by speech and language (SALT) and psychology and care plans are devised for the nursing team to follow."
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More visible location of whiteboard information for bedbound/less mobile patients
"Unfortunately after looking into this we were unable to change the white boards. Due to infection and prevention control we cannot have information hanging on the curtain tracking as that would prevent us from closing the curtains and impact on the patients privacy and dignity. During the medical ward rounds the consultant/doctors introduce themselves. The nursing team and healthcare assistants also introduce themselves and tell the patient they will be caring for them at the beginning of each shift."
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Clearer information to patients on discharge planning process
"The discharge process is explained when the patients are admitted in the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit, the London Stroke pathway is explained to the patient or NOK. When the patients are admitted to Thomas Young Ward all patients/NOK are given the Thomas Young Welcome pack. The treating team will start explaining the discharge process as and when appropriate as this will depend on the individual’s needs. The patient will also be given a keyworker who will meet with the patient usually weekly or update the NOK on the discharge planning. If the individual has a communication deficit the speech and language therapist will support with communication. The discharge co-ordinator plans, liaises and updates the patient and the NOK."
Further patient involvement and the collection of feedback
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Consider the possibility of a peer support group for patients
"We provide a weekly coffee group which is led by our therapy team where patients are supported to go off the ward together and have a coffee. This is also supported by our psychology team. The coffee club involves patients being accompanied by staff on a weekly off ward visit to the hospitals on site coffee shop. Within this non-clinical setting, patients are provided the opportunity to socialise and interact with other patients, family members and with staff. In addition, patients are enabled to work on interdisciplinary goals via the everyday task of ordering a drink to enjoy with their peers, navigate group conversations, practice key social communications skills in attending, listening, turn taking."
We would like the management and staff at Thomas Young Ward for providing us with an update on how they have taken on board the recommendations we laid out in our report.
