1 May 2019

The Anticoagulation team at the Trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals has received glowing results from a survey designed to measure how happy patients are with their telephone-based service.

SaTH’s Anticogulation Team

The survey, which was sent to more than 900 patients, showed that 99% of respondents were very satisfied or satisfied with their service and care, and that 99% were very satisfied or satisfied with the telephone advice given by the team’s staff. Furthermore, not one person felt that staff lacked empathy and compassion. Full results of the survey can be found below.

Sister Alison Pym, Lead Nurse Anticoagulation said: “We are thrilled that our efforts to provide a top-level, efficient and effective service have been recognised by our patients.

“With the results of the survey, and the choices we can now offer our patients, we feel confident that we can build even further on the strength that the service already has to offer.

“We are in the process of rolling out an initiative to enable those patients who choose it to receive their test results and warfarin dose guidance by email rather than traditional posted information. This means that our patients receive their information in a timely manner and in a format that they prefer.

“The initiative has proven very successful so far – to date over a thousand patients have opted for emailed dose communication and we are receiving positive feedback from those patients that have chosen it”.

Anticoagulation, which prevents or slows down the clotting of the blood, is used in patients who have had a condition caused by a blood clot, such as a stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). It can also be used to treat patients with an increased risk of developing harmful blood clots, such as those with a replacement heart valve, an irregular heart rhythm, a blood clotting disorder or an increased risk of blood clots following surgery.

The Anticoagulation Team, based at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), which forms part of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), supports adults and children with their anticoagulation dosing regimens.

For a patient being prescribed the anticoagulation medication Warfarin, regular blood testing is required as they may need to take it for the whole of their life.

Shropshire Anticoagulation Service Survey Results

Overall Satisfaction with Service and Care
Very Satisfied – 89%
Satisfied – 10%
Dissatisfied – 1%

Satisfaction with Telephone Advice by Anti-Coagulation Team
Very satisfied – 88%
Satisfied – 11%
Dissatisfied – 1%

Did Staff Show Empathy and Compassion?
Definitely – 96%
Partly – 4%
Not at all – 0%

Understanding of the information on the Warfarin dose card
Definitely – 99%
Partly – 1%
Not at all – 0%