Patient Privacy [QSI Ref: XR-105]

Patients’ satisfaction with privacy whilst in the Department of Clinical Radiology.

The preservation of privacy and dignity are basic requirements for all patients whilst in hospital [1]. Privacy is essential in the clinical areas. It is also essential in the public areas, especially during reception or when discussing referral details and appointment arrangements [2]. The right to privacy and dignity should be respected during procedures, even if the patient is unconscious. A questionnaire can help to identify problems of privacy and dignity and will enable the department to make changes. It can also help to draw the attention of staff to specific problems (See Resources).

The standard: 

All patients should feel they have had their need for privacy met and their confidentiality protected during their visit to the radiology department [1].

Target: 

100%

Indicators: 

Percentage of patients who feel that they have their need for privacy met and their confidentiality protected during their visit to the radiology department.

Data items to be collected: 

A questionnaire should be completed by each patient attending the department. The data assessing if the patients need for privacy and their confidentiality was met should be in a binary format (Yes/No). A more global score (1-10) can also be assessed if desired for an overall assessment of the patient's experience.  

Suggested number: 

All patients attending the department over a 1 week period.

Appropriate change will depend on the problem areas identified through the questionnaire.

Improvements may be required in:

• Reception area skills (e.g. reception staff training)

• The environment at reception (e.g. sound proofing/partition between booths)

• Privacy for bed patients (e.g. creation of new bed areas with screens)

• Privacy in changing areas (e.g. purchase of new gowns)

• Patient feedback/suggestions box in the department if one is not already present, to provide a more continuous mechanism to gauge patient experience.

- Audit assistant for analysis of results of questionnaire

- Radiologist or other appropriate radiology staff (3 hours for discussion of problems)

1. Royal College of Nursing . Standards of Care – Radiology Nursing. The Royal College of Nursing Radiology & Cardiology Forum. London: RCN, 1993.

2. UKCC. Confidentiality. A UKCC Advisory paper. London: UKCC, 1987.

Taken from Clinical Audit in Radiology 100+ recipes RCR 1996.