The recently published 2016 PLACE (Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment) scores ranks South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) as above average in every category.
Under PLACE, all NHS-funded healthcare providers in the UK are required to undertake an in-depth assessment of all qualifying inpatient settings as part of a national programme overseen by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) on behalf of NHS England. The assessments focus on how the environment supports service provision and patient care, looking at non-clinical aspects such as cleanliness, food, maintenance, as well as the extent to which the environment supports privacy and dignity, dementia and disability compliance. Included below is a table showing the 2016 Trust average scores in comparison to the national average scores:
| Cleanliness | Food | Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing | Condition, Appearance and Maintenance | Dementia | Disability | |
| Trust Average | 99.66% | 91.72% | 93.84% | 98.55% | 95.21% | 95.48% |
| National Average | 98.06% | 88.24% | 84.16% | 93.37% | 75.28% | 78.84% |
The big wins were in the ‘Dementia’, ‘Disability’ and ‘Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing’ sections where SEPT performed 20 per cent, 17 per cent and 9 per cent above the national average respectively.
Sally Morris, Chief Executive at SEPT said: “We are thrilled with the results of this year’s PLACE audit. It’s great to know that we are above the national average as the overall experience of being a patient in our hospitals is made up of much more than the clinical and nursing care that is provided.”