The government is to formally require NHS organisations to publicly publish new data on performance and patient and staff views on their service.
The new initiatives, being announced by The Prime Minister David Cameron today, are part of the government’s plan to improve nursing services.
It includes the creation of new indicators within national patient surveys based on their experience and whether they would want a family or friend treated at that hospital.
The government is planning to publicly publish the results of the survey and will be used by regulators as a key indicator of quality.
A new mandate to have staff members rate their hospital’s service is also to be included and used as an indicator of quality. Hospitals will be required to publish the information in their Quality Accounts and provide a combined summary explaining their results.
NHS organisations will also be required to publish results of new patient-led inspections of organisations which will consider cleanliness, food, privacy and dignity.
If an organisation is found to be lacking in any area, they will be required to state how the intend to rectify this.
The government has also said it expects to have a review of data returns identifying how these can be reduced completed by the summer.
David Cameron says more focus needs to be put on nursing caring for patients rather than ‘red-tape’.
“Nursing needs to be about patients not paperwork. So we are going to get rid of a whole load of bureaucracy that stops nurses from doing what they do best.
“In return patients should expect nurses to undertake regular nursing rounds – systematically and routinely checking that each of their patients is comfortable, properly fed and hydrated, and treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”