A new online
service that allows patients to rate and compare hospitals on
issues such as car parking and waiting times was launched today by
Health Secretary Andy Burnham.
As patients now have the right to choose when and where they
receive hospital treatment, a new web-based scorecard is now
available at www.nhs.uk to give people all the information they
need to make the right choice of hospital for them.
The scorecard, which works in a similar way to internet
comparison websites, means patients will no longer have to search
multiple sources to find key information about where to receive
treatment. Instead, for the first time, patients will be able to
compare a range of hospitals and their ratings in one place, as
well as read reviews on:
· Mortality rates;
· Infection rates, including MRSA and Clostridium difficile;
· Cleanliness;
· Staff performance;
· Quality of food;
· If patients felt they were involved in decisions around their
care; and
· If they would recommend the hospital to friends and family.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:
“Going into hospital is one of the most important moments in
anyone’s life. And yet we don’t equip patients with anything like
enough information to make informed decisions.
“The new scorecard helps patients make the right choice of
hospital for them by bringing together all the information in one
place for the first time.
“The service also offers an unparalleled opportunity for
hospitals to be made aware of any issues and act to improve their
services, helping to drive up standards across the board, and
become more patient focused.“
Michael Summers, Vice Chairman of the Patients Association,
said:
"The more information that patients
have about local availability of their healthcare and the
standards that they are looking for, the better it is. We would
fully support the launch of this important web tool and would hope
that patients will benefit substantially from it."
Every hospital in England is also being asked to encourage
patients to leave feedback on the NHS website, as well as
responding to comments, to drive up standards.
Stephen Ramsden, Chief Executive of Luton & Dunstable
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:
"We have been working closely with NHS Choices and our
frontline staff to raise awareness of the excellent information on
this website for our patients. We also want to make sure that our
patients are aware that they can leave feedback about their
experience on NHS Choices to help us to continue to improve our
services, and also to praise the L&D Hospital where it is
due."
Later this year, a similar service is being launched to allow
patients to rate and compare GP Practices.
Notes to Editors
Notes to Editors
1. The website allows patients to pick from a drop down menu, and
choose criteria which are most important to them when making their
decisions. People can either look at a general scorecard which
compares different hospitals, or look in more details at specific
treatments and procedures within those hospitals.
2. Feedback will be monitored and any abuse, including naming of
staff, will not be posted.
3. For more information please contact the Connecting for Health
Press Office on: 0207 004 1555
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk