PATIENTS in hospitals in East Lancashire are happier with their treatment, a new survey has revealed.

The investigation, carried out by the Care Quality Commission, showed that hospitals in the region had improved in all areas of patient care, with an average satisfaction rate increase of three per cent on the same time the year before.

As part of the survey, patients were asked to rate different aspects of their hospital experience, including admission, the hospital and ward, staff, care and treatment, operations, procedures and leaving hospital.

Some of the highest scores came in questions regarding dignity during treatment, with 90 per cent of inpatients surveyed saying they felt they were treated with respect while they were in hospital.

With regards to infection control, 92 per cent of those who returned their questionnaires said they saw nurses cleaning their hands between touching patients, with 93 per cent confirming that they saw messages about hand-washing displayed on the ward.

Lynn Wissett, deputy chief executive and chief nurse at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted with the response from our patients and pleased that the hard work of our staff putting patients first and providing a high quality service is noted and appreciated by those who took part in this survey.

“As always, we will look closely at the survey results and continue to aim to improve across the board to ensure we improve performance and patient experience further.”