to have all NHS organisations signed up to hear patient stories
The NHS in Liverpool is calling on patients to share their story to help transform local health services.
All nine NHS trusts in the Liverpool area, covering a population of around 450,000 people, are on a drive to hear from patients, and use this feedback help improve their services.
So far 1,500 patients from Liverpool have told their story on the Patient Opinion website. An aim of this work is to see this rise to over 5,000 in the coming year.
Working with independent feedback website Patient Opinion, NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is asking the public in the Liverpool area to share a story, good or bad, about their health care. Liverpool is the only city in the UK currently offering this service to all patients, in a move which could transform the care patients receive.
In this pioneering move, NHS Liverpool CCG are working with Patient Opinion to ensure that every patient in the Liverpool area can have a positive influence on their health and social care services.
Patients across the region are guaranteed a response to the feedback they share on the Patient Opinion website – with many of these stories leading to a change in the services delivered.
People can feedback online at www.patientopinion.org.uk, or in writing through freepost leaflets or by phone, using Freephone number 0800 122 3135.
In an example from the Patient Online website, a patient expressed concerns about a blood clinic closing early. The online tool allowed the issue to be raised directly to the NHS organisation who runs the clinic. The clinic staff were able to respond, to explain and to say that they would update all information for patients, to ensure future patients knew what to expect.
Speaking about the new partnership, Dave Antrobus, NHS Liverpool CCG Lay Member for Patient Engagement said, "Patient feedback is a crucial part of how local services can learn from their patients, and your story can help us make a difference. Your hospital, doctor’s surgery, community nurse and others may use your story to help develop and improve services.
“We need to hear from you to understand whether local healthcare is meeting the needs of local people and to know when we are getting things right. We urge people to share their experiences, positive or negative, directly with our staff through Patient Opinion."
James Munro, Chief Executive of Patient Opinion, said: "Increasingly, people expect online feedback about health services to make a difference. Through Patient Opinion, NHS staff can show that feedback is heard and is being used to help make services the best they can be.
“Health services across Liverpool are pioneering a city-wide approach to online feedback. This means that even if someone’s care involves many services, their feedback will be heard by the right staff. Patients and staff can now benefit from a truly integrated system for feedback and learning."
Crucial to supporting this campaign is Healthwatch Liverpool, who will be working with patients across the region to support them in sharing feedback.
Sarah Thwaites, Healthwatch Liverpool manager said, “We need local people to tell us what they really think about the care that they receive and Patient Opinion is a great way for patients to do that. Sometimes patients can be wary of speaking up about the services they receive, and think that no-one wants to hear what they have to say.
"You don’t have to have access to the internet to get involved with Patient Opinion, Healthwatch Liverpool are able post stories on your behalf, just get in touch with the team.
Sarah continued, "As Healthwatch, we are excited that health services across Liverpool have committed to really listening to and learning from feedback in this way."
Anyone can see stories about health services in Liverpool, or share their experience of health services by visiting www.patientopinion.org.uk.