Patient Experience and Engagement

The Patient Experience and Engagement Team are here to listen to patients’ thoughts, feelings and ideas. We feedback on your experiences to the Hospital Staff and senior management, in order to improve patient care. 

A nurse takes the blood pressure of a patient. The patient is smiling at the nurse.

Get involved in shaping hospital services

Get in touch with the team if you would like to share feedback, or to get involved in one of our groups or projects.

Get in touch

The Friends and Family test

What is the Friends and Family Test? 

The Friends and Family Test gives you, our patients, the opportunity to feedback on your experience and aims to highlight both good and poor experiences. The survey focuses on finding out if you would recommend the Hospital, to your friends and family.  

website.

FFT Positivity Rate Trust Wide May 2025 - 94%

FFT Positivity Rate Emergency Services May 2025- 87%

 

  • I was taken care of as soon as I walked through door the nurses and doctors were brilliant. 
  • The care package given by nursing staff was second to none I could name individual nurses but that wouldn’t be fair as they all do a tremendous job under extreme pressure. I must also mention the ladies that clean wards and the ones that bring round tea trolley and take orders for meals they do everything possible to make your stay more comfortable.                                                
  • I was seen on time and they were treated with respect and dignity and not like an old woman.                                                                
  • I felt nervous when entering the department, however I was immediately made comfortable by the staff, friendly, professional and knowledgeable. I can tell they work well as a team.
  • The midwives were absolutely amazing during the birth of my son. I was kept informed about all of my birthing options as labour progressed and my choices were respected by the staff. They supported me throughout the birth and I had a wonderful positive experience.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Will my feedback be confidential? 

Providing feedback is completely voluntary and will not affect the level of care we provide to you. The information we collect from you is used and shared in a way which does not tell us who you are. In addition to the questions, you will also be able to provide us with additional comments in free text fields. 

You may, however, provide your name and contact details, if you wish to discuss the feedback with us.  

One of the key benefits of the FFT is that patients can give their feedback in near real-time and the results are available to staff more quickly than traditional feedback methods. This enables staff to take swift and appropriate action should any areas of poor experience be identified. 

How do I take part? 

You should be asked for your feedback whenever you attend Barnsley Hospital – be it as an outpatient or inpatient. 

You should be asked regularly for your feedback: 

A member of staff (including Trust Volunteers) may ask for your feedback through the use of a mobile device. 

You can use your own mobile device to provide feedback wherever you see one of our FFT posters around the hospital, by linking through a QR code. 

You can also provide feedback via our online forms:

We may send you a text message following your visit to ask about your experience. If you visit A & E, you will be asked for feedback via text message. 

If you wish to opt out of receiving text messages asking for feedback via the Friends and Family Test, please contact the Patient Experience Team on 01226 436302 or 01226 434922

The legal basis we rely upon to process your personal data 

We adhere to GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) to process your personal data.  

The legal basis we rely upon to process your personal data for the Friends and Family Test is Article 6(1)(e) “necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest, or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Controller”. 

We will also be relying upon Article 9(2)(h) “necessary for the purposes of…” “…the management of health and social care systems and services” to process information about your health and care where this relates to asking for your feedback to the Friends and Family Test. It will also apply to information you have provided relating to your health, within a feedback-free text field which will either identify you on its own or where you have also provided us with your contact details so that we can contact you for more information. 

A dietician who works in ICU, smiles at the camera

Compliments

Our staff love to hear when they’ve done well. Whilst giving excellent treatment and care is their job, they still like to hear that a patient is happy with the care they’ve received whilst at Barnsley Hospital.

Friends and Family Tests

Children and Young People Friends and Family Test

The Children and Young People Friends and Family Test can be submitted online. 

Community Diagnostic Centre Friends and Family Test

The Community Diagnostic Centre Friends and Family Test can be submitted online.

Day-case Friends and Family Test

The Day-case Friends and Family Test can be submitted online. 

Inpatients Friends and Family Test

The Inpatients Friends and Family Test can be submitted online.

Maternity Friends and Family Test

The Maternity Friends and Family Test can be submitted online. 

Outpatients Friends and Family Test

The Outpatients Friends and Family Test can be submitted online. 

Urgent and Emergency Care Friends and Family Test

The  Urgent and Emergency Care Friends and Family Test can be submitted online. 

 

 

Barnsley Hospital's Carers and Care Partners Charter

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is keen to support people who would like to be involved in the care of their relative or friend during their time in hospital, who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction.

We recognise that carers have a significant role in the effective and safe delivery of treatment and care of patients in hospital; this role will often cross the boundaries between the patient’s home and the hospital setting. It is important that we identify, involve and support carers in the clinical setting to get the care of the patient right.

With knowledge, understanding and honest communication, staff and carers can work in partnership as Care Partners to improve the hospital experience for patients, carers, and staff.

Who is a carer?

A carer is someone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support and as such will be welcomed to be with the patient at any time.

Who is a Care Partner?

A Care Partner is someone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support and as such will be welcomed to be with the patient at any time and continues to provide an agreed level of care in partnership with staff whilst their friend or family member is in hospital.

We recognise and value the support and expert knowledge that carers can give and also the positive impact that staff and carers working together can have on a patient’s well-being.

Our commitment to you

We will do our best to:

  • recognise you as a carer and support you to identify the level of care you wish to provide
  • recognise you as a carer and invite you to support the person you care for whilst in hospital as a Care Partner 
  • listen to and respect your views as a carer or Care Partner
  • support you to access appointments for your own health care needs when required
  • signpost you to appropriate support services for carers
  • inform and involve you agreed aspects of care for the person you care for

Please help us by:

  • speaking to staff if you would like to be involved as a Care Partner
  • talking to us about any concerns you might have about the care and treatment being provided to the person you care for
  • taking care of yourself; your involvement is valued but not expected
  • tell us if there's anything else we can to do support you in your role as a carer or Care Partner
  • respecting the privacy and dignity of other patients
  • providing information that will help us to give the best experience of care to the person you care for, including any care passports

How to become a Care Partner

If you would like to be involved in your friend or family member’s care, please speak to one of the nurses on the ward who will be happy to talk to you about how you can be more involved.

Your friend or family member must give their consent (if they are able) for you to care for them in hospital.

Staff will discuss with you the following:

  • What care do you usually give at home?
  • Have you been trained in delivering any care?
  • What do you feel you are or are not able to do?
  • Whether the patient has any special equipment at home which may be brought in to support them during their stay.
  • When you would be able to help – at mealtimes for instance

They will also explain to you:

  • How much care you can safely be involved in.
  • Any limits or restrictions because of your friend or family member’s current illness.

Each time you come to the ward or unit:

  • Please report to the nurse caring for your relative or friend.
  • Tell the staff when you are leaving and update them about your relative or friend’s condition

All Care Partner arrangements should be regularly reviewed to ensure they are beneficial to all involved. If for any reason you are not happy with the Care Partner arrangement, please speak to the person in charge on the ward to identify a resolution made in the best interest of the patient.

We thank Barnsley Carers Service and Beacon South Yorkshire Carer Support for their work, and support. 

On-site care and support

Over 40% of carers recently surveyed told us they had missed at least one hospital appointment for their own healthcare needs, due to their caring responsibilities.

Our Patient Experience and Voluntary Services team have worked together with our Learning Disability and Dementia teams to ensure that on-site care and support can be provided to those who need it whilst their carer is attending an appointment at Barnsley Hospital.

For more information and support contact the Patient Experience team on: 01226 434922

Barnsley Hospital Care Partner Charter leaflet