Dean Clinic (Community Services)

Percentage of surveys received from Dean Clinics:

Service User Responses

How long did you wait for a first appointment?

Percentage of respondents who endorsed each first appointment waiting time frame

Were you seen at your appointment time?

32.9% of respondents reported being seen on time, 22% of respondents reported that they were seen by clinicians within 15 minutes of arriving at the Dean Clinic and 24.4% of respondents reported a half hour wait for their appointment on arrival to the clinic. Cumulatively 81.3% of respondents were seen within half an hour of their appointment time.

Respondents who endorsed each waiting time frame

Tell us about your experience of assessment/therapy/review

Respondents experience of assessment/therapy/review appointment

Tell us about your experience of care and treatment at the clinic following assessment

Respondents were asked about the quality of their care at the Dean Clinic following assessment. Service users were offered a number of statements describing their care which they were asked to endorse.

Respondents experience of care and treatment at the Clinic following assessment

In your opinion was the service you received value for money?

How would you rate the Dean Clinic facilities?

Respondents were asked to rate Dean Clinic facilities on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent). Further examination of the mean and standard deviation suggests that respondents held highly positive opinions of the Dean Clinic facilities, with all means

above 7. Furthermore the standard deviation was below 3 across all four areas showing small variation between responses, i.e. the majority of respondents responded favourably and similarly (see Table below).

Respondents’ scores of Dean Clinic facilities

How would you rate your care and treatment at the Dean Clinic?

Service users who completed and returned the Service User Satisfaction Survey between January and December demonstrated a high level of satisfaction with the care they received. Service users rated their care and treatment at the Dean Clinic on a scale of 1 to 10; showing a mean score of 8.2 (N=77; SD=2.7). Respondents also indicated a high level of satisfaction with the overall Dean Clinic service, with a mean also of 8.0 (N=77; SD=2.7).

Table: Respondents’ ratings of: a) Care & Treatment b) The Overall Dean Clinic

Table: Respondents’ ratings of: a) Care & Treatment b) The Overall Dean Clinic

Further Service User Views

Dean clinic respondents were invited to answer three open-ended qualitative questions in order to identify any points of interest not contained within the closed statements, and to give further voice to the users’ experiences. Not all respondents answer these questions. Please find below a sample of answers

Q: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your experience of attending the Clinic?

Positive Comments include:

• “I have been attending the clinic for 22 years and am very satisfied.”
•  “I have attended the old outpatient clinic before the Dean Clinic opened. Because the clinic is consultant lead I have been able to have continuous excellent care from my consultant and my drugs might be adjusted. I have been able to have a family, hold down a permanent job and enjoy my life.”
• “Very helpful in my recovery, essential.”
• “Visits are straight forward-never any problem.”

Comments to learn from include:

• “It is extremely difficult to contact the clinic by phone which adds to anxiety.”
• “The water machine is cold-can you fix the machine?”
• “The decor in the room that the therapy sessions happen needs to be added to. A bare white ofice with office chairs isn’t exactly the most welcoming and relaxing environment.”
• “Long waiting time to see consultant.”

Q: Was there anything particularly good about your care at the Dean Clinic?

• “The amount of time for the consultation reflects what you need for your problems that day. All your struggles are teased out at your appointment.”
•  “Everyone I dealt with were very friendly and welcoming.”
• “After the initial assessment I felt like I was getting the help I needed and wanted and this came as a huge relief.”
• “Flexible visits- I had to change some appointments.”
• “I liked the decor outside of the therapy room. It’s bright, clean and welcoming. I liked that I didn’t have to wait too long in the waiting room and there was rarely other people in there.”
• “You feel they care about you. You’re not another number.”
• “1st Class service.”
• “Felt at ease very quickly on visit.”
• “Friendly and efficient secretary. Very good consultation with consultant, easy to talk to and understanding.”

Q: How could we improve your experience of the Dean Clinic Services?

• “Directions to the Dean Clinic would be helpful e.g. small map.”
• “If there was a dean clinic in Limerick it would be great, but unfortunately there is not so otherwise I think it is great facilities for those suffering from mental health issues. It’s a far better hospital clinic than those hospitals of years ago where people were not treated with dignity or respect.”
• “It would be helpful to have a booklet/ web information on all possible treatments, group support etc.”
• “Tea, coffee and biscuits in waiting room- nice if you are waiting and if you have come on a long train journey.”
• “Reduce the cost of CBT appointments.”
• “Waiting room while waiting to be seen is very small and may feel claustrophobic for some visitors.”
• “Open windows in offices as I find myself falling asleep it’s so stuffy.”