The patient experience at Dorset County Hospital A&E worsened last year, new survey data suggests.

Hospital regulator the Care Quality Commission, which carried out the survey, said the long-term worsening of patient experience in NHS emergency care cannot be ignored.

The 407 respondents in Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust gave the hospital emergency department an average of 7.9 out of 10 for overall experience in 2022.

It is down from a score of 8.6 out of 10 when the survey was last done in 2020.

Nationally, 18% of respondents gave a score of four or lower, with zero being a very poor experience. It was a leap from 8% two years prior.

The CQC has previously said high call volumes and staff shortages in NHS 111 are leading to delays in people receiving medical advice and more people going to A&E.

A lack of available GP and dental appointments means NHS 111 cannot always send people to those, leading to people being asked to call 999 or go to A&E instead, it added.

The survey also shows the proportion of people feeling they were treated with respect and dignity in hospitals across England declined from 81% in 2020 to 72% last year.

Patients gave Dorset County Hospital (DCH) a grade of 8.8 out of 10 on the matter – down from 9.2 in the previous survey.

Dr Sean O’Kelly, the CQC’s chief inspector of healthcare, said staff are working extremely hard amidst challenging circumstances.

However, he added: "We cannot afford to ignore the long-term decline shown in relation to issues like waiting times, information provided when people leave to go home, access to pain relief and emotional support."

In DCH, patients gave a score of 6.3 out of 10 regarding the length of time they waited to be examined – a fall from 7.6 two years earlier.

DCH has said it has compared well with other trusts, receiving ‘about the same’ or ‘better than expected’ scores for all nine areas people were asked about.

DCH's Emergency Department Matron Clare Turnbull said: “The team work extremely hard to provide high-quality care and strives to give our patients the best experience they can, in an often very busy, unpredictable and stressful environment.

“The results reflect just how hard everyone works and the team should be very proud of themselves and I want to thank each and every one of them for all their hard work and dedication.”

DCH’s Deputy Chief Executive Nick Johnson added: “We are so proud of our team for achieving such good results in this survey, despite the continued unprecedented pressure on our Emergency Department.

“The results are evidence of the huge amount of commitment and hard work from staff and we are incredibly grateful for their unwavering dedication to providing the best possible care for our patients.”