30.07.13
Friends and Family milestone data published
Ratings from the Friends and Family test are to be published today, showing which hospitals patients would recommend to their loved ones.
The data covers people who stayed overnight or attended A&E in English hospitals in April, May and June.
The test has already been in place in the Midlands & East region since last year, and the DH plans to extend the test to maternity services in October, to GPs, community services and mental health services by the end of 2014, then to all parts of the NHS by the end of 2015.
Tim Kelsey, NHS England's director of patients and information, said: “One of the key causes of the tragedy of Mid Staffs was that patients weren't listened to. This initiative will guarantee that the NHS is listening.”
And health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “This milestone moment is a key plank in our wider campaign to make sure that patients' voices are heard at every level of the NHS.”
Fr3dom Health, which helped develop the original question with the former NHS East of England SHA, called it a “dramatic step forward” in transparency. Managing director Toby Knightley-Day, a contributor to NHE, said: “If we want a truly accurate picture of service quality, we must give staff feedback, internal quality of service and patient safety measures the same priority.
“This is an historic day and we should view it as a key milestone not an endpoint in this process.”
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