Have you had a bad experience of NHS administration? We need your views.
Almost everyone has experience of interacting with NHS administrative processes and staff. This includes activities such as booking appointments, registering with a GP surgery and corresponding with NHS services in writing or over the phone. These processes are key in supporting the NHS to deliver care to millions of patients each week.
Although these processes can work well, we know that patients’ experience of NHS administration is often poor, despite the best efforts of staff. This can have a negative impact on people’s overall experience of using a service, and often comes at a time when they are already feeling anxious. Sometimes, for example in the case of lost test results, poor administration can have an effect on the care people receive.
Despite this, there has been very little research into NHS administration and its impact on patients, and these issues are not routinely captured in NHS data.
What we’re doing
Together with The King’s Fund and four other local Healthwatch we are carrying out a project to explore patients’ experiences of NHS administrative processes.
We are asking people to tell us about their recent experiences (within the last year) of poor NHS administration, particularly about the following services:
- GPs
- A&E
- Physiotherapy, rheumatology, orthopaedics, etc. (for people with Musculoskeletal conditions, i.e. affecting the joints, bones and muscles, and back pain)
- Cancer care
- Mental health services
- and those who use multiple services on a regular basis (or care for those who do), particularly those who consider themselves to be older people or have a learning disability.
Tell us about your experiences and views
0300 002 0010.
The findings from this work will be shared with local health services as well as contributing to the wider King's Fund project.
The King's Fund would also like to hear the views of staff working in primary care settings – particularly general practice – to understand the practical realities of NHS administration and some of the pressures faced in trying to deliver high-quality administrative processes. If you are a member of staff who would like to share your views, please email us.
