So the CQC find that in one in five hospitals the care of the elderly is poor. No surprise there given the stories we are often told on Patient Opinion. So will the Health and Social care Bill that squeaked through the Lords yesterday make any difference?

If we set aside all the organisational turmoil of making the changes (a big set aside I grant you) will the reforms once fully in place make any difference?

Our guess here at Patient Opinion is sadly, probably not. We don’t doubt the sincerity of the Secretary of State in wanting to put the patient squarely at the centre of things but the NHS still wants to do this on its own terms. Look at its behaviour – even in the way it seeks to put patients centre stage – it’s still deeply focused on its own needs: You answer the questions that we put in our questionnaires. We look at the results and if you’re lucky you might see the occasional change.

Nothing wrong with this except it is the NHS itself and its own needs that are taking centre stage, not the patients’. Out there people want be part of a conversation as they are on FaceBook and Twitter and they really don’t see themselves as feedback fodder any more.

So what would make a difference to how we care for elderly people? Saying ‘Lessons will be learnt’ is no longer adequate. Indeed after so many inquires and debacles the next politician who says this kind of thing (no matter if it is true) is likely to be lynched by the media.

What we need to do is to make the desire to listen a reality, and for the first time ever we can move beyond platitudes and start to do this in ways that give the patient’s side of the conversation real power. The next time there is something like the CQC report telling us of yet another dreary failure, the response from Andrew Lansley should now be: ‘You’re right. We messed up. We know we need to listen. And we understand that you may not trust us to right now. So we want you to tell us what you think of the NHS, good and bad, in public, confidentially via independent sites like Patient Opinion. And we guarantee to reply, in public to every single story.’

Now that really would signal a sea-change in the scale, transparency and power of the patient voice.

Years ago, in fact until very recently, Saturday Night Live probably meant a show from the London Palladium or a well known US TV show, not anymore. On Oct 1st Saturday Night on Radio 5 Live meant from a busy A&E Department at the Royal Edward Albert in Wigan. The Stephen Nolan show which transmits from 10pm Friday to Sunday inserted their man for comment and opinion real time.

Given the nature of our business I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to listen to the show to see what transpired - afterall this was what we are about and are trying to achieve - feedback and comment on NHS services and this promised to be straight from the horses mouth.

The show even inserted a reporter to Wigan town centre, I assume to interview drunks as they were being taken to A&E.

"I'm surprised" purred Nolan, his surprise wasn't that people were arriving at A&E but three at arrived with Cardiac Arrest within an hour. He reported live as one was taken from the Ambulance and being wheeled into A&E. "We're machines that can break down at anytime" and then "It's like a conveyor belt" Thankfully the Ward Sister interjected with the fact that getting three heart attack cases in such a short space of time was extremely rare.

However at this point Nolan raised possibly one of the best points of the entire show, some people arrive for an ingrowing toenail and resources are taken away from the treatment of higher importance cases to deal with more frivolous injuries or those that are self inflicted. We all buy into the NHS and want our bit out of it when we feel we need it.

A motorbike accident victim wished it was more like casualty - "You see 3 million doctors on casualty doing nothing" on being told he'd wouldn't be dealt with for 3 hours or so. "I wish I could be seen a bit quicker ... I just want to be seen" The reason for his wait of course, perhaps unknown to him, was that three more high priority heart attack victims were ahead of him in the queue.

Sadly just after this interaction, it was announced that the man wheeled from the Ambulance with a Cardiac Arrest had died. The Ward sister sounded genuinely choked and I suppose it brought home even more so the priorities the NHS faces. Treat a man whom had crashed his motorbike and was frustrated at being told he had a three hour wait or try to save a mans life?

Over 23 million people use A&E in the UK annually for varying reasons, sometimes sports injuries, but around 20% of cases involved alcohol in some way. The programme was on air until 1am and I didn't listen to it to the very end but it continued to interview patients, managers, staff and relatives of the people in that A&E, it confirmed several things, that I probably already knew: 1/ - I have always said at the emergency end of the NHS it can rarely be bettered. 2/ - Sometimes we have no idea whom might be ahead of us in the queue to be seen but we all think we are the most urgent priority that the NHS faces. Perhaps communication could be better at times to put us in our place a bit more.

But finally above all else at 3/ - We all want to have our say on the NHS so why don't we?

For the remainder of this week the show can be heard by visiting the Five Live Website or via a direct link here

I have just had my first experience of the NHS Scotland Event - it was a surprising couple of days!  With a load of NHS Scotland bigwigs in the same auditorium I expected to hear about the 'challenging financial climate', that we should 'do more with less', and the key would be 'improvement', 'measurement', 'productivity'...and I wasn't disappointed: they were all there with bells on!

However, 'compassion', 'care', and 'empathy' also featured prominently, perhaps even more so - what a relief!  Were there even lessons to be learned from the Disney Corporation?  Will we ever call patients 'guests'?

It shouldn't be so surprising but it was reassuring that senior health service staff and government officials are placing these fundamental values front and centre.  As so many Patient Opinion stories, convey, the absence of these values can make the difference between a good experience and a bad one, aside from any clinical intervention.

I came away remembering a quote from the film, 'Patch Adams', "treat the disease, you'll win some, you'll lose some.  Treat the person, you'll always win."

It's a great sentiment; it's been around a few years now!  However, not sure if it can quite compete with the Acting Director of NHS Scotland quoting Lady Gaga!  Apparently, the NHS is Scotland is "on the Edge of Glory"?  How exciting!

Last week I spent sometime with the lovely folks at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust in their out patients department. We wanted to raise the awareness of Patient Opinion as a feedback channel that the trust are using to listen to and act on patient feedback. 

The hospital trust sees Patient Opinion as a quick and easy way for patients, family members and carers to let them know about the services they provide:

"We welcome complaints, comments and suggestions as they help us to improve the service we provide. WWL staff are being encouraged to let patients, visitors and carers alike know that they can share their story using Patient Opinion, as this gives them the opportunity to learn what people think of the services that they provide and to celebrate what the Trust is doing well"

"If there are things that could be improved on then this is a good way to find out what people think and also to look at any suggestions that they may make."

We think this is a great start to our work together and it is always wonderful to work with an organisation who really sees the value of anonymous feedback to improving services. 

You can read more about our work together on the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust website and you can see their current feedback on Patient Opinion

The Golden Jubilee National Hospital are on board and listening with Patient Opinion and already getting some positive feedback

One patient who told their story of care at the hospital was obviously delighted to get a thankful and personal response.   On receiving the response the patient replied "it really does re-store faith that you and your team are dedicated to improving"

Great feedback to be able to give your team of hardworking staff on a dreich Monday morning!

Welcome to Patient Opinion, Golden Jubilee!