Kings Imaging at St Thomas Scores High in Patient Feedback

The surveys took place across the year 2023. Feedback was collected from patients who had been served at the King's PET Centre, Advanced MRI and Cardiac centres, and the Perinatal Imaging facility, all based in St Thomas' Hospital. Results showed that nearly 97% of all respondents were content with the amenities and assistance received; notably, the Perinatal Imaging facilities scored a 100% satisfaction rating from friends and families of patients.

The department also received several compliments throughout the year recognising positive interactions between patients and staff. Dr Sharon Giles, Director of Clinical & Research Imaging Operations at the School, spoke to the training and proficiency of staff at the facility: "One of the Guy's and St Thomas' Trust values is 'Putting Patients First'. Within the KCL Imaging services, we make sure that this is the outlook adopted by all our staff, firstly through attention to candidates' attitudes at recruitment, and then as part of the ongoing training and development programmes we offer."

The team holds Clinical Governance meetings where patient feedback is reviewed regularly, and lessons learned are shared with staff; the team also celebrates positive feedback provided by patients about individual staff members.

"In regards to patient care, we pay attention to a few key areas- how different departments meet their needs, ensuring they are treated with kindness and respect, and that their privacy and dignity are maintained during the visit", said Cristina Carlos, Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement Manager.

One patient commented, "I was made to feel like I was important and that my health needs mattered. Communication and kindness were always used. I felt calm, relaxed and reassured."

"Feedback such as this encapsulates all of the above key areas and showcases the quality and commitment of our staff," said Cristina.

Patients have also benefitted from cutting-edge imaging equipment deployed in the facility, where a renewed focus has been placed on patient comfort. "Improvements include roomier, faster scans, and more comfortable set-ups. A notable example was the introduction of the ultra-wide bore, low-field Free.Max MRI, which is very well suited to larger patients and is currently the only such system in the UK. The next exciting development is Total Body PET, which raises the possibility of much faster PET scans, at a lower radiation dose and with greater sensitivity to detect abnormalities," said Dr Giles.

Speaking about how positive patient experiences can encourage patients to participate in vital imaging research, Dr Giles said, "In addition to being proud of serving our patients well, providing a good experience to them directly enhances recruitment into research imaging studies. We have several studies where patients who've completed a clinical scan are asked to come back for further research scans that they do not need for their clinical care. Our track record in recruiting to these types of studies is excellent, and only possible if we provide a high-quality experience the first time around". The facility is also actively involved in Public and Patient Engagement and Involvement (PPEI) activities to ensure that patients and research participants can express their views about the facility's services, ways of working, or proposed research studies.