Alongside our colleagues in the Partnership for Change, we’ve published a new report - Connected Care: Transforming Care Coordination, funded by Pfizer.

This report explores one of the most persistent challenges patients face: poor care co-ordination. It draws on insight from across the health charity sector to offer a clear and practical vision for improving how care is delivered and experienced in the NHS.

• Read the full report on Pfizer’s website.

Why care co-ordination matters

Every day, patients tell us how hard it is to navigate the health system. They’re asked to repeat their story to different services, chase up appointments or referrals, and manage their own care across multiple providers, all while dealing with illness or long-term conditions.

These are not isolated frustrations. They’re signs of a system that is disjointed and difficult to navigate. And they have a real impact on patients’ experiences, outcomes, and trust in the NHS.

With satisfaction in the NHS at an all-time low, now is the time for action.

Report recommendations

The report outlines a set of recommendations to help the NHS, and wider health systems, put patients at the centre of co-ordinated care. Our recommendations are to:

• Measure patient experience and act on the data,
• Make communication between healthcare, professionals and patients simpler, quicker, and more efficient,
• Proactively build a culture of collaboration,
• Take a holistic approach to care for long-term conditions.

Our perspective

As the Patients Association, our mission is to make sure patients’ voices are heard, and acted on, at every level of the health system. We’re proud to have contributed to Connected Care and will continue to push for meaningful change that puts patients first.

This report is a call to action for policymakers, commissioners, and providers. Care should be seamless, supportive, and centred around people’s real lives. Patients shouldn’t have to work so hard to get the care they deserve.

“Every day, we hear from patients who are left to shoulder the burden of navigating a fragmented health system. Patients should not be required to continually repeat themselves, chase appointments, and coordinate care across siloed services. It’s exhausting, disheartening, and ultimately harmful. This report makes it clear that better coordination isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential to improving outcomes, reducing inequalities, and restoring confidence in the NHS. By placing coordination at the centre of reform, we can help build a health service that truly meets the needs of every patient.”

Rachel Power, Chief Executive, The Patients Association