Patient views vital to drive service improvements

Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (HMRPCT) is carrying out a survey to find out what patients think about the care they receive. 

The Trust plans to use this feedback to improve patients’ experiences.  The results will be used to help HMRPCT highlight areas where they perform well and to identify the areas where there is most room for improvement. 

Patients registered with general practices that are part of HMRPCT may receive a questionnaire, asking for their views.  They will be asked about various aspects of their experiences including making an appointment, the quality of care, communication with health professionals, information, medicines, involvement in their care, referrals and health promotion. 

Every primary care trust in England is carrying out this survey as part of a national programme led by the Healthcare Commission.  This survey is part of the commitment, set out in the NHS Plan, to design a health service around the needs of patients.

Obtaining feedback from patients and taking account of their views and priorities is vital for bringing about improvements in the quality of care.  This is a national, centrally coordinated survey that will allow organisations to compare their results, and will identify the trusts where patients give the most positive responses so that best practice can be shared.  The survey results will contribute to the Annual Health Check due to be published by the Healthcare Commission in 2008. 

The results of this survey will be published locally in the early summer and on the Healthcare Commission website.

Denise Dawson, Patient Experience Manager at Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust, said: “We recognise that listening to patients’ views is essential and we are committed to engaging them, the public and local communities as equal partners in developing and delivering services to meet their needs.

“We hope that our patients will take the time to help us with this survey. It is just one of the excellent ways for patients to help shape the services we provide in the future.”

For further information on how patients can work with the PCT, please call Nicola Crosby, Patient Experience Co-ordinator, on 0800 121 4406 (freephone).