St Helens Hospital Listening Events report - July 2025

Most were patients, but we also heard from visitors and carers across a range of departments including ophthalmology, dermatology, rheumatology, orthopaedics, urology, physio and more.

What people told us

Staff and care – The strongest theme was praise for staff, who were described as kind, professional and supportive. Many patients said they felt well looked after, with staff taking time to explain treatment and answer questions.

Positive experiences – People valued the smaller, calmer feel of St Helens compared to larger hospitals, describing the environment as clean, welcoming and well maintained. Several praised the Lilac Centre and Eye Clinic for excellent care, while volunteers were often mentioned for their warm welcome and support.

Satisfaction ratings – 79% of people rated their care Excellent and 17% Good, meaning 96% gave positive ratings. 100% said they had been treated with dignity and respect.

Areas people said could be better

Parking – The most frequent concern. Patients described long queues at the car park barrier, difficulty finding spaces, and too few disabled bays.

Waiting times – Long waits in some clinics, particularly the Eye Clinic, were frustrating for patients. Others highlighted delays in treatment following referrals.

Communication – A small number of people said they weren’t always kept updated after scans or tests, or had problems with cancelled appointments and poor information sharing between trusts.

Our recommendations

Based on what we heard, we suggested the Trust should:

• Review parking systems and increase accessible bays.
• Look at clinic scheduling to reduce long waits, particularly in the Eye Clinic.
• Strengthen follow-up communication after tests and appointments.
• Keep recognising the hospital’s key strengths: professional staff, a clean environment, and the support of volunteers.

The Trust’s response

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust thanked Healthwatch Halton for carrying out the Listening Events.
The Trust noted that 97% of St Helens patients rated their care as good or excellent, and were pleased to see staff praised for their professionalism, kindness and patient-centred care.

They apologised to patients who had less positive experiences and confirmed that all feedback from Listening Events is used in ongoing improvement plans.
The Trust said they look forward to working with Healthwatch Halton again in future Listening Events to continue improving patient experience.