A HOSPITAL hotline has been introduced by a Sandwell trust for people to report concerns their loved ones may have about inpatient care.

Purple Points have been installed outside ward areas at Rowley Regis and Sandwell hospitals which have phones that link directly to a team of advisors.

The move by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust comes after a survey was conducted by Healthwatch Sandwell, a health watchdog, which found patients wanted concerns resolved in a more timely approach.

An issue of the trust failing to respond to the repeated concerns of a patient’s family was also raised by Senior Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique during a recent inquest into the death of Rowley Regis great-grandfather Frank Hayward who passed away at Sandwell Hospital in December.

The trust hopes the new hotline – which will be manned between 9am and 9pm every day, and include numbers for non-English speakers to call – will address concerns quickly and before the patient is discharged, while the phones can also be used to compliment staff for the care they have given.

Kam Dhami, director of governance at the trust, who is leading the project, said: “We have access to a range of patient feedback and we identified a theme through some of our complaints, and from a report carried out by Healthwatch Sandwell, that a more timely approach to issues of concern would be helpful.

“Patients will be able to use the Purple Point phone line to tell us about any concerns with their care whilst an inpatient. We will aim to get the concern resolved quickly.

“The service is not intended to replace the many ways we already have to act on patient feedback. It is an additional option for patients or relatives who want to give a compliment or need to have an issue dealt with promptly.”

During the phone call, the advisors will speak to the caller about their concern and then make sure that the relevant ward staff are informed to resolve the issues. The team, along with the ward staff should then also check with the patient that they are happy with the outcome.

John Clothier, chairman of Healthwatch Sandwell, said: “We fully support this new initiative which, in response to our report published in 2016, shows that the trust listens.

“This will help patients, relatives and carers to have their concerns about treatment and care addressed quickly and effectively. We wish Purple Point every success.”