THE people of Swindon have voted ‘caring staff’ as the most important element when staying in hospital, according to a new survey.

The study, conducted by BMI The Ridgeway Hospital in Wroughton, focused on attitude towards caring for others and how people view professions that deliver care.

The survey also indicates how social media is fast becoming the most popular way to stay in touch with people.

With just days until Christmas, the ‘Care’ survey revealed there is plenty to be cheery about as we head into the season of goodwill, as residents across Swindon believe people would be prepared to perform a selfless act to help someone else.

Of those surveyed 43 per cent believed most people would help someone who had fallen in the street and 33 per cent said they would ‘ask someone if they were ok or how they were feeling’.

A quarter of those quizzed would be happy to use body contact by ‘giving a hug’ and 22 per cent of people saying they would be happy to listen to someone talk through their troubles.

Nursing proved to be the profession that is most associated with care (55 per cent), with other caring professions including doctor/GP (14 per cent) and paramedics (10 per cent).

Gill Taylor, Director of Nursing at BMI The Ridgeway Hospital, said: “The survey reveals some reassuring information about the community where we live and work. It is good to know that residents across Swindon believe reaching out to others is still an important part of their busy lives.”

Those who responded to the survey were very clear about the most important requirement during a stay in hospital. Whilst 16 per cent said they would look for clean facilities, 81 per cent said it was the caring staff that was their most important requirement.

Something Tara Lecomber from Toothill in Swindon can relate to following her recent stay at BMI The Ridgeway Hospital. Having been admitted for a gall bladder procedure, Tara was so impressed with the care received, she wanted to show some appreciation so wrote to the team to say thank you: “I was so impressed with how I was looked after, it really was incredible. The staff throughout the hospital put me at my ease and made my stay at BMI The Ridgeway Hospital extremely comfortable and as worry free as a stay in hospital can be. It was so important to my recovery following the operation; I can’t thank the team enough.”

The latest patient survey results for BMI The Ridgeway Hospital revealed 95% of patients rating the nursing care received at the hospital as either excellent or very good.