Require trusts to publish periodic reports on patient views and actions

The Index has not yet recorded a verbatim government response to this recommendation.

Please see our responses to Recommendations 20 (PALS) and 28 (patient feedback) for current practice.

The main duties for NHS bodies to make arrangements to involve the public are all set out in the National Health Services Act 2006, as amended by the Health and Care Act 2022:

• section 14Z45 for integrated care boards

• section 242(1B) for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts

A duty for commissioners to promote involvement of each patient is required under s.14Z36.

A requirement to involve the public is also included as a service condition in the NHS Standard Contract for providers.

In line with these legal duties, NHS commissioning organisations are required to publish an annual assessment of how well they are meeting this duty as part statutory annual reporting.

NHS England is required to carry out an annual assessment setting out how well the ICB has performed on its statutory duties, including how the ICB has promoted patient and public involvement and choice. Assessments can be viewed via individual ICB websites.

Section 8 of The Health Act 2009 describes that healthcare providers are additionally required to provide a detailed statement about the quality of their services as part of their Quality Account. The quality of the services is measured by looking at: - patient safety - how effective patient treatments are - patient feedback about care provided.

CQC and NHS England publish patient experience surveys in primary and secondary care under their National Patient Survey Programme. Examples include the Cancer Patient Experience survey and the GP Patient Survey.

The Government agreed with this recommendation.

In its January 2002 response, the Department of Health said that from 2002/3, every trust should publish a new Patient Prospectus, including an annual account of patients’ views and local standards set specifically to address shortfalls identified through the patient survey.