Share For Better Care - empowering patients to improve health and social care through feedback

Patients' experiences can provide vital lessons for the health and care sector, helping it understand what is working and what needs improvement. However, only some know how to speak up about their care, and health and care services could be better at telling people how they can provide feedback and why this matters.

The Patients Association hosted a webinar with Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Healthwatch England on November 6th 2024 to:

Hear about their campaign, which aims to support more people to have their say on health and care services
Understand the barriers that exist to giving feedback and potential solutions
Listen to patients explain first-hand their experience of providing feedback and how this improved their care
Discuss the current ways people provide feedback and what more can be done to ensure patients' voices are heard.

With the NHS currently consulting on its 10-year plan to reform, it's never been a better time to discuss how we can ensure patients have a stronger voice today and in the future.

Q&A responses (provided by CQC and Healthwatch England)

Q. How and why should I give feedback?

People have the right to feedback about their experiences of the health and social care services and we want them to feel safe and secure to do so. The care system must get better at encouraging people to feedback and taking positive action as a result. We need people's experiences to understand the quality being provided and develop a clear picture of their care and challenge poor care where we find it.

Through the CQC's campaign, Share for Better Care, people are encouraged to feedback so together we can drive improvements in health and adult social care services and make a real difference

There are a number a number of ways you can get in touch and share feedback Contact us - Care Quality Commission

Give feedback on care - Care Quality Commission 

If you would like to share feedback about your care experiences, including what could have gone better and what worked well, please contact Healthwatch England or your local Healthwatch team.

Welcome | Healthwatch

Find your local Healthwatch | Healthwatch

Q. How can I report a serious concern?

If you’re concerned about your safety or the safety of others, please contact your local CQC team: Contact us - Care Quality Commission

Q. How can I share my concerns about how services are commissioned and/or managed?

Any questions or concerns about how services are commissioned and/or managed are best answered by Department of Health and Social Care and or the local Integrated Care Board. CQC and Healthwatch England do not have the legal remit over the commissioning of care or services.

Q. How should healthcare staff respond to feedback?

Staff should not shy away from receiving feedback. Feedback may be good or bad, but it is also an opportunity to learn how to improve care for your patients. The important thing is that people have a chance to share their experiences. We know that health and social care staff go to work to deliver great care and should celebrate that. Sometimes people will receive feedback to help make improvements and that can be difficult, but that shouldn't stop them from listening to feedback when it's provided.

Q. What other ways has the CQC considered getting this information shared to more patients?

The CQC are always interested in exploring new ways to reach people and encourage them to share their experiences of health and care services.

The CQC partner with many influential organisations in the health and care sectors and manage marketing campaigns across social media and other digital platforms.

The CQC also have public communications teams that promote our key messages with local and national media and via our newsletters.

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