The Department of Health issued a three month consultation on a new NHS information strategy this week that promises – among other things – that patients will be able to rate the care that they receive. Patients, of course, can already do this thanks to the official NHS Choices website and start-ups like Patient Opinion – and the consultation seems baffled as to why they haven’t rushed to take advantage of the opportunity.
The paper suggests patients need more ‘point of care’ opportunities to feedback (although the requirement for users to find a computer has not held up the likes of Trip Advisor and Beer in the Evening). So Furness General Hospital was right on the policy money when it handed out 15 touch-screen devices to patients this week so they can answer questions about cleaning, food and other aspects of their care. Now all it needs to do is crack that Lorenzo deployment…