Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust earned praise in the latest Adult Inpatient Survey. The report, published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), highlights high levels of confidence, dignity and respect across the organisation. The results cover experiences of patients who stayed overnight at the Trust’s hospitals during November 2025.
A total of 425 patients responded to the survey. They shared feedback on key aspects of their care, including communication, treatment, medicines management, nutrition and discharge arrangements. The results are, for lack of a better word, quite encouraging, especially when looking at the aggregate scores across the three main hospital sites: Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Bassetlaw Hospital and Montagu Hospital.
Almost all respondents (99%) said they were treated with dignity and respect during their stay, while 85% rated their overall hospital experience at seven out of ten or higher. Confidence in clinical teams also remained exceptionally high, with 97% of patients reporting trust and confidence in their doctors, alongside similarly positive feedback for nursing staff.
The survey also highlights notable improvements in several key areas compared with the previous year. More patients reported being able to manage their own medication when appropriate, with satisfaction increasing from 79% to 89%. Support with nutrition also improved, with 90% of respondents saying they received enough help to eat their meals, up from 85% the previous year. In addition, patients reported better discharge planning, with the proportion saying their ongoing health or social care needs had been discussed before leaving hospital rising from 76% to 82%.
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While the jump in medication and nutrition scores suggests a successful shift toward more autonomous patient care, it also implies a resource allocation strategy where staff can supervise rather than directly execute every task. This transition allows for greater patient dignity but requires robust protocols to ensure safety remains uncompromised. When patients are managing their own medication, the potential for error increases, meaning the trust must double down on training and oversight to maintain those high scores.
Departmental Performance Highlights
Several specific departments recorded exceptional feedback. Trauma and Orthopaedics recorded 100% positive scores for kindness, compassion, dignity and respect. This high mark suggests that complex injury cases are being handled with the empathy required by the NHS constitution, which dictates that care must be respectful and compassionate.
Urology achieved 100% positive scores for confidence and trust in both doctors and nurses, demonstrating consistently high patient satisfaction across the service. General Surgery also delivered exceptional results, achieving 100% positive scores for dignity and respect, privacy, pain management and the availability of help when patients needed it.
General Internal Medicine continued to make progress. The proportion of patients rating their experience seven out of ten or higher increased from 77% to 84%. These results suggest that the hospital’s internal medicine teams are effectively managing chronic and acute conditions while maintaining a high standard of patient interaction.
Areas Requiring Attention
Despite the strong performance, Trust leaders have acknowledged areas where further progress is needed, particularly around communication with patients awaiting planned procedures, information regarding Virtual Ward services and support during discharge.
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“These findings give us a great deal to be proud of, particularly that 99% of patients told us they were treated with dignity and respect, alongside improvements in areas such as medicines, nutrition and support when leaving hospital,” said Karen Jessop, Chief Nurse at DBTH.
“They also show us clearly where we need to do better, including communication while patients wait for planned procedures, information about Virtual Ward care and support when leaving hospital.”
The trust will now focus improvement efforts on providing clearer information for patients awaiting procedures and those receiving care through Virtual Wards. The Adult Inpatient Survey is conducted annually and provides NHS organisations with valuable insight into patients’ experiences. Virtual Wards are a key part of the modern NHS strategy, allowing patients to recover at home while still receiving hospital-level care.
Additional work will also target better communication around dietary requirements, medicines information and post-discharge support for patients and carers. The goal is to ensure that the high standards seen in wards like Trauma and Orthopaedics are replicated in every department.
