TEA with matron may have been a thing of the past but for people staying on the ward at Haslemere Community Hospital it has become new initiative of the future.

The scheme has been set up to help encourage feedback that allows the hospital – which serves Liphook – to improve services for the people who use them.

Following its success at Milford Hospital, Tea with Matron, is a listening opportunity for matron to meet and talk with patients and their carers over a cup of tea to sit and reflect on what the service has done well and what the service could do better.

The first session this month was hailed a success. People who attended were positive about the service and commented on the kind and caring staff, and sang the praises of the therapists who encouraged and got them back on their feet.

One service user said of the initiative: “I’ve never been invited to anything like this before and it is a really good to be able to meet in such an informal but sociable way.”

Tea with Matron will continue every month at both Haslemere and Milford Community Hospitals.

Haslemere’s community hopital matron Verity Pearce told The Herald this week: “We really value feedback from everyone on what we do right and what we could be doing better.

“By doing something so simple and getting all our patients in one room is a great opportunity to listen to them to help us build and improve our service for future people.”

Virgin Care runs both hospital on behalf of the NHS.