The physical environment of a hospital can support recovery from mental illness. Mental health patients are extremely vulnerable to changes in their environments. The paper reports on the impact on patients and staff of a relocation of Australia’s oldest and largest psychiatric hospitals, Sydney’s Rozelle Hospital. The new 174-bed purpose-built meant health facility provided patients with their own rooms within single story units. Further, patients were grouped in wards based on the phase of their illness and required treatment. The relocation provided a unique opportunity for the health services in Australia to provide better services to patients and staff.
This primary goal of the study was to evaluate patient care delivery in the new environment and to assess patient satisfaction as well as staff attitudes regarding their expectations, views and workplace satisfaction after relocation to the new facility
The study was conducted in July 2008, about 2 months after the relocation to new facility, to minimize the effect of any initial problems or frustrations resulting from the move. Patients were interviewed face-to-face using the Inpatient Evaluation of Services Questionnaire. Patients between the ages of 16 and 64 without significant cognitive impairments or dementia were included in the study. Surveys were also sent by mail to all clinical staff rostered to work the same period that the patient interviews were conducted. Staff surveys were similar to patients’ but included additional questions, such as access to professional support, career, research and education opportunities, and staff safety. Staff surveys were anonymous. 100 patients were interviewed and 123 staff members returned the surveys. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and group differences were also analyzed using statistical tests.
- Patients and staff rated the new ward environment and food services the highest and were least satisfied with patient information and medical services.
- Patients were satisfied with several key aspects of the new facility, including comfort, safety, cleanliness, and privacy.
- Staff members rated most aspects of the facility higher than the patients
- The level of freedom on the new facility (which included locked units and a ban on smoking) was a source of dissatisfaction to the patients and staff
- The majority of staff respondents were moderately or very satisfied with various aspects of the new facility, including the degree to which patients were helped effectively, job satisfaction, support from colleagues in their work area, patient access to medical services, quality of care, teamwork, unit routines, and staff safety.
- With hospital assistance provided, majority of patients had reduced or quit smoking.
- There were fewer returned surveys for medical staff and thus not all disciplines were equally represented.
- The study was conducted a two months after the relocation which may not have been adequate time for patients and staff to adjust to the new environment.