BMJ 2013;347:f7332 doi: 10.1136/bmj.f7332 (Published 9 December 2013)
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS TELL US HOW IT WAS FOR YOU
Whose role is it to collect patients’ stories? Felix Greaves Harkness fellow Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
Richards persuasively discusses the power of patient narratives in allowing health systems to learn and improve, highlighting how an independent not-for-profit company, Patient Opinion, does this in the NHS.1
At the same time, Patient Opinion is having to respond to NHS England’s launch of a new government funded entity, Care Connect, which aims to perform a similar function.2
NHS England has talked about working with entrepreneurs and the vital role they have in fostering innovation and cost savings in the NHS.3 Yet Patient Opinion sees its existence threatened by this “look alike” funded by the taxpayer.4
If the NHS is short of money, why is NHS England attempting to duplicate one of the few areas where others are already performing the function well? In addition, there are arguments for using an independent platform for patient feedback systems, including a reduced perceived fear of reprisal for speaking out about care.
Why does NHS England seek to reinvent the wheel, rather than building on the success of existing organisations? Perhaps the role of NHS England should be to consolidate the experiences of patients captured across many platforms, rather than seeking to control the process. Competing interests: I research feedback systems for healthcare and have worked with Patient Opinion, NHS England, and NHS Choices. My work has received funding from NHS Choices. 1 2 3 4
Richards T. Tell us how it was for you. BMJ 2013;347:f6872. (20 November.) Ramesh R. NHS to launch Tripadvisor-style website. Guardian 2013. www.theguardian. com/society/2013/nov/28/nhs-launch-tripadvisor-style-website. NHS England. The NHS is opening up to health technology entrepreneurs. 2013. www. england.nhs.uk/2013/08/14/entrep-event/. Hodgkin P. CareConnect: there is a better way [blog]. Patient Opinion 2013. https://www. patientopinion.org.uk/blogposts/187/care-connect-there-is-a-better-way.
Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f7332 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2013
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS TELL US HOW IT WAS FOR YOU
Whose role is it to collect patients’ stories? Felix Greaves Harkness fellow Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
Richards persuasively discusses the power of patient narratives in allowing health systems to learn and improve, highlighting how an independent not-for-profit company, Patient Opinion, does this in the NHS.1
At the same time, Patient Opinion is having to respond to NHS England’s launch of a new government funded entity, Care Connect, which aims to perform a similar function.2
NHS England has talked about working with entrepreneurs and the vital role they have in fostering innovation and cost savings in the NHS.3 Yet Patient Opinion sees its existence threatened by this “look alike” funded by the taxpayer.4
If the NHS is short of money, why is NHS England attempting to duplicate one of the few areas where others are already performing the function well? In addition, there are arguments for using an independent platform for patient feedback systems, including a reduced perceived fear of reprisal for speaking out about care.
Why does NHS England seek to reinvent the wheel, rather than building on the success of existing organisations? Perhaps the role of NHS England should be to consolidate the experiences of patients captured across many platforms, rather than seeking to control the process. Competing interests: I research feedback systems for healthcare and have worked with Patient Opinion, NHS England, and NHS Choices. My work has received funding from NHS Choices. 1 2 3 4
Richards T. Tell us how it was for you. BMJ 2013;347:f6872. (20 November.) Ramesh R. NHS to launch Tripadvisor-style website. Guardian 2013. www.theguardian. com/society/2013/nov/28/nhs-launch-tripadvisor-style-website. NHS England. The NHS is opening up to health technology entrepreneurs. 2013. www. england.nhs.uk/2013/08/14/entrep-event/. Hodgkin P. CareConnect: there is a better way [blog]. Patient Opinion 2013. https://www. patientopinion.org.uk/blogposts/187/care-connect-there-is-a-better-way.
Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f7332 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2013
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
