‘TripAdvisor’ site for NHS
pharmafile | November 29, 2013 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing | NHS, NHS Choices, TripAdvisor
NHS England is to roll out its TripAdvisor-style patient feedback website nationwide next year following a trial in 16 London NHS Trusts and two Trusts in the North-east.
Instead of tourists’ moans about bug-ridden hotels or poor service, the Care Connect website will provide a forum for complaints about the treatment that patients or their relatives have received in hospitals in England.
While this is part of a desire for transparency and the furtherance of patient power, critics have warned the initiative will seem ‘hollow’ if patients find their concerns are merely being recorded but not acted upon.
The Department of Health has stated its commitment to lead an ‘information revolution’ in the NHS and the NHS Choices site has allowed patient comments on hospitals, GPs, dentists or any other NHS services since its launch in 2007.
The difference with the new service appears to be that users will be able to see the NHS respond in ‘real time’, with comments sent direct to the staff in question if it is deemed appropriate.
“Real-time interaction will not only ensure their voice is heard but that it is also acted on to help improve the quality of NHS services,” NHS England says in a statement.
Tim Kelsey, NHS national director for patients and information, says: “This is about transparency and public participation. For the first time, it gives patients a direct route to find out information about NHS services, ask questions and get problems resolved.”
People can make comments on the website, by text on 61114, via Twitter (@CareConnectNHS) or on Facebook.
The site can also be used to ask a question about NHS services, with the promise that an online answer will be sent back within 24 hours.
Yesterday Kelsey tweeted: “@CareConnectNHS is not mandated in NHS and the national rollout is to test value of multi-channel access.”
Paul Clark, chief executive of customer feedback software specialist Charter UK, warned: “The focus needs to be on taking action to mend the NHS, along with its reputation, and this can’t be done by simply listening to complaints.”
Patients do not submit complaints just to be heard – they do so because they want their complaint to be acted upon, he pointed out.
“Ultimately the move is hollow if it doesn’t equip NHS organisations with the funding, infrastructure and tools to be able to take that patient insight and translate it into remedies for the NHS’ failings,” Clark went on. “Without this it would serve only as a mechanism to highlight what the NHS is getting wrong and to further erode patient trust and missed expectations.”
Adam Hill
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