Care Quality Commission (CQC) Adult Inpatient Survey results
Patients continue to praise the kindness, compassion and professionalism of colleagues at Epsom and St Helier, while scores relating to the hospital environment have fallen due to ongoing estate challenges.
The latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) Adult Inpatient Survey highlights strong performance across a number of key areas, with patients particularly positive about the way they were treated during their hospital stay.
Respect and dignity received the Trust's highest score at 9.0 out of 10, while kindness and compassion scored 8.9 out of 10, matching last year's result.
Patients also reported high levels of confidence in their care, with having enough to drink scoring 9.2 out of 10, confidence and trust in doctors 8.8 out of 10, and confidence and trust in nurses 8.7 out of 10.
The survey also identified areas for improvement. The score for hospital and ward dropped by 0.3 to 7 out of 10 with patients highlighted difficulties sleeping because of noise, lighting and ward temperatures. This reflects the ongoing estate challenges and maintenance pressures.
Some patients also reported long waits to be admitted to a bed, would have welcomed greater mental health support during their stay, and wanted more involvement in discharge planning, particularly around medicines, ongoing care and the support available after leaving hospital.
Others said they would have liked more information about virtual wards, including the risks, benefits and care they could expect to receive through these services.
Overall, patients rated their experience at Epsom and St Helier 7.9 out of 10, unchanged from the previous year.
Victoria Morrison, Deputy Chief Nurse, said: "It is encouraging to see patients rate us so highly for the kindness, compassion and professionalism of our colleagues. These results reflect the dedication and commitment of staff across the Trust to delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred care.
"We are already taking steps to improve the areas highlighted in the survey. We have strengthened our admission and discharge processes, and our Ward Accreditation programme evaluates how well patients are involved in their own care and whether they receive the support they need during their stay.
“Unfortunately it’s not surprising to hear that the environment in our hospitals, particularly St Helier, isn’t ideal. Our people are doing their best to compensate for the pre-war infrastructure to support rest and recovery, and we are continuing to invest in our hospitals, including a refurbishment at Epsom. We recognise that estate challenges can affect patient experience. Delays to the New Hospital Programme mean construction on the new hospital in Sutton is postponed until at least 2033.
"Patient feedback is invaluable in helping us understand what matters most to those who use our services, and we will continue to listen, learn and make improvements to ensure every patient has the best possible experience."
Out of the 12 areas measured by the survey eight were rated as performing "about the same" as other NHS trusts with four below the national comparison threshold.
The survey gathered feedback from more than 500 patients who stayed at least one night in hospital during November 2025. You can read the full results here.
