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Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE)
What is PLACE?
Good environments matter. Every NHS patient should be cared for with compassion and dignity in a clean and safe space. PLACE provides a clear message about how the environment or services might be enhanced, and where standards fall short, the service should be held to account.
These assessments focus exclusively on the environment in which care is delivered and does not cover clinical care provision or staff performance. The results from PLACE are published nationally to help drive improvements in the care environment.
When is PLACE completed?
The assessments take place every year, typically over a 10-week period, usually starting September.
Who assesses the environment?
The assessments involve local people, known as patient assessors, visiting hospitals to assess such things as privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness and general building maintenance and the capacity of the environment to support the care of those with dementia or with a disability.
Patient assessors are supported by staff members during the assessments.
Assessment teams are a collaboration between staff and patient assessors, with patient assessors making up at least 50 per cent of the assessment team. Anyone who uses the service can be a patient assessor, including current patients, their family and visitors, carers, patient advocates or patient council members and Trust governors.
Unfortunately, you cannot act as a patient assessor if you are employed, or have been employed within the last two years, by the organisation you are assessing.
Training is provided by the Trust and takes place either face-to-face or online over the summer. Travel and parking expenses are reimbursed and refreshments are provided throughout the assessment days.
How do I become a patient assessor
We need patient assessors for the 2024 assessments.
If you are interested in becoming a patient assessor, please complete the expressions of interest form below, and we will contact you directly. You can also contact Healthwatch York or Healthwatch North Yorkshire.
For further information regarding PLACE assessments visit Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) - NHS Digital.
If you have any queries, please contact the Facilities Management Compliance Team on yhs-tr.fmcomplianceteam@nhs.net. They aim to respond to your email within two working days.
