Patients' satisfaction survey: a review of in-patient attitudes towards care during a 12 month period.

In order to assess the value of medical and nurse team meetings in a programme designed to improve the quality of care given on a general medical ward, a 33% sample of recent in-patients was asked to complete a questionnaire about the quality of care that they received from doctors and nurses. Regular meetings were convened to respond to criticisms and improve overall care. During the year of the programme there was no significant change in the quality of care as perceived by patients and it is clear that this approach to improving care is ineffective.