Report comment

1:19

NHS Choices doesn't collect meaningful data. It collects patient stories given by a very small number of patients (my local Trust has less than 60 ratings, and a total of <200 comments in 5 years, from several hundred thousand appointments per year!)

When it comes to using that (limited) feedback, part of the problem is that it is incredibly difficult to use free text feedback from such small numbers of patients to see what is REALLY going on. That isn't to say that you can't highlight a few areas for improvement, but it's more luck than science.

As for increasing use: were Trusts to do so they'd probably increase not only the number of "nuggets" of insight but also the amount of noise around them (making them harder to spot).

Lansley was right when he identified in his first speech as SoS for Health that people need to be asked much more specific and relevant questions. Precious few Trusts are doing this. Hopefully the Friends and Family Test will encourage them to do more.