- Nearly 90% (87%) of people in England want to see improvements in health and social care services.
- But 1 in 5 (19%) people believe they don't have time to report on their health and social care experiences.
- More than half would like to use their time more productively (53%), with two in five (42%) feeling guilty about taking the time to relax instead of completing small tasks.
- A third of people from England think about their health on a daily basis.
This Share for Better Care Week (24 February – 2 March), Dr Ranj is teaming up with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Healthwatch England (HWE) to urge people across England to take three spare minutes to feed back on their recent health and social care experiences.
The appeal follows new research, which found that nine in ten people (87%) in England want to see improvements in health and social care services.
A third of people think about their health every single day, yet one in five (19%) say they don’t have enough time to report on their health and social care experiences. The average person estimates that it takes almost nine minutes to give feedback when, in reality, it can take as little as three minutes.
The campaign aims to make more people aware of how they can give feedback and highlight the spare moments in people's days that they could use to do this - for example whilst waiting for the kettle to boil or waiting for a train or bus.
The poll reveals that the average person spends nearly two hours a day scrolling on their phone – doubling to nearly four hours for those under the age of 24, highlighting that many people have more opportunities to feedback than they think. The research also found that 53% of people would like to use their free time more productively, with two in five (42%) feeling guilty about not completing more small tasks.
Sharing feedback on health and social care is one such small task that can make a big difference. Public feedback can play a vital role in helping health and social care services identify ways to make support better - for example making GP services more accessible, or ensuring clinics have the right equipment available for individual needs. However, only a minority of people have provided feedback to care services.
To help improve health and social care across England, Dr Ranj, CQC and Healthwatch England have launched Share for Better Care Week to encourage everyone to spare as little as 3 minutes to share their care experiences.
Dr. Ranj Singh, commented:
Health is the foundation of our lives. However, this survey shows that while a third of us think about our health daily, few provide the essential feedback on the healthcare we receive. As a doctor, this feedback is indispensable, it reveals patient experiences, pinpoints areas for improvement, and, ultimately, enhances the quality of care. In my role I’ve heard so many patient stories, whether it is positive experience or constructive feedback. Sharing that feedback is what will make a real difference.
James Bullion, interim Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care said:
People's feedback is essential to our regulation of health and adult social care services. Our campaign wants to celebrate the great care being provided by staff across England, as well as encourage people to share feedback about their experiences – good and bad.
CQC and Healthwatch have a shared ambition alongside health and social care providers and the community and voluntary sector, to support people to give feedback about their care experiences, so these experiences can be used to both celebrate great care, and drive improvements where needed.
Feedback plays a vital role in helping health and social care services identify both good and bad care but there are currently many missed opportunities. The research further revealed that nearly half of adults (42%) regret not sharing feedback on care, and a staggering 40% don’t know that they can give feedback or how to do so.
Louise Ansari, Chief Executive at Healthwatch England, added:
Whether positive or negative, big or small, your feedback helps health and care services understand what works well and what needs improvement.
So if you have a moment today, whether you're scrolling on your phone, making a cup of tea or waiting for the bus, please share feedback on the NHS or social care services you use.
Speaking up about your care doesn’t take long but can make a real difference to you and your community.
To find out more about Share for Better Care Week, or to share your feedback, visit: www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care or www.healthwatch.co.uk/have-your-say.