Every year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) carries out a national survey asking people about their experience of staying in hospital. Patients who have recently spent at least one night in hospital are invited to share their views on different aspects of their care, including communication, involvement in decisions, discharge, food, pain management and whether they felt treated with dignity and respect.
The results of the CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, published on 26 August, show that patients continue to have positive experiences of care at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT). Feedback highlighted the kindness, professionalism and dedication of staff, with many patients recognising the pressures teams are working under while continuing to provide high-quality care.
Compared with other NHS trusts nationally, CHFT was rated ‘about the same’ for 47 survey questions and ‘somewhat better than expected’ in two areas. The Trust was also recognised as one of the top five performing trusts in the region for supporting patients' individual needs.
Patients particularly praised the care provided by nurses and clinical teams, highlighting staff compassion, respect, reassurance and professionalism. These were among the strongest areas of feedback across the survey.
The results also show improvement compared with 2024, with two questions performing significantly better than the previous year and no areas performing significantly worse. Patients reported improvements in the notice they received before leaving hospital and in their experience of waiting times before planned admissions.
While the findings are encouraging, patients also identified areas where further improvements can be made. These include discharge and pharmacy processes, communication, waiting times, food and hydration, pain management, and ensuring individual needs are consistently recognised and supported.
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Patient feedback helps us understand what we are doing well, where we can improve, and how we can continue to provide the best possible care for our communities.