Care UK helps to demystify the patient journey

COLCHESTER, U.K. - Jan. 29, 2014 - PRLog -- The independent healthcare provider, which operates Devizes NHS Treatment Centre on behalf of the NHS, hopes the tour will help to demystify the patient journey and assist people to be better prepared for their appointments.

The virtual tour showcases the high quality facilities available to NHS patients at the treatment centre which sees around 1,800 people each month. It also provides people with the chance to familiarise themselves with the operating theatres, consulting rooms, recovery wards, waiting areas and reception.

Kevin Walsh, centre manager at Devizes NHS Treatment Centre, said: “Every patient is important to us and we understand that a visit to hospital can sometimes be stressful. Our team works very hard to make sure that people are fully prepared for treatment and that includes inviting patients to meet the team and their consultant prior to surgery. We believe this virtual tour is a natural extension to that familiarity process.

“Supporting patients to be as relaxed as possible before, during and after their treatment is a fundamental part of our work. I believe that by launching this virtual tour we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to patient satisfaction and I hope that people will find it a useful tool prior to their appointment with us.”

Patients referred to the treatment centre enjoy some of the shortest waiting times in the region for a variety of day-case diagnostic and surgical procedures and it has an excellent reputation for putting patients first – 94 percent of people rate it as excellent.

Belinda Moore, group marketing director at Care UK, said: “This virtual tour is very useful to people who may be nervous about surgery by allowing them to familiarise themselves with the hospital layout and what certain medical equipment looks like before they visit for an appointment. By embracing new technology we are able to help the people we support and care for, as well as their families, to make informed choices about their health and social care provision.”

In October 2013 Care UK launched a Google Business View virtual tour of its Mill View care home in East Sussex. It allows people to explore the state-of-the-art care home which is designed around a welcoming village centre interior and features a cinema, coffee shop, village store, hairdressers and a beauty salon. The organisation has revealed that more virtual tours are planned during 2014.

Care UK worked with Ideal Insight – a Google virtual tour specialist – to create the tour of Devizes NHS Treatment Centre. It can be accessed on Google maps using postcode SN10 3UF or by visiting careuk.com/devizes-nhs-treatment-centre/take-look-inside or devizestreatmentcentre.nhs.uk/take-look-inside