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Listening to patients, Speaking up for change.

NHS At 60 Survey

This year the NHS is 60 years old. It is a good time for an in depth look at how it works. Can it survive as it is? Should changes be made to the whole way we deal with healthcare in the UK? Questions such as these are surfacing in newspapers and elsewhere. Many people in the health world are discussing possibilities.

No-one is asking patients themselves. Patients are the customers of health services and shareholders in the NHS.

So we would like YOUR views – to just 10 questions. Please tell your friends and family about this questionnaire so that as many patients as possible can have their say. Your details will remain confidential and your answers will help us to speak up on behalf of patients.

If you would like more information before answering the questions we have included a brief GUIDE to the various parts of the health services in the UK with useful links to relevant websites. Please click below to download.

Thank you for helping us to bring the views of patients to the debate.

Thank you for helping The Patients Association to continue Listening to Patients, Speaking up for Change.

The Patients Association is grateful for the support of an educational grant for this project provided by Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd.

All communications within this survey are the property of the Patients Association.

The Patients Association brief guide to health services in the UK

YOU AND YOUR HEALTHCARE

Queston 1

Which health services do you use now? Please tick the appropriate response:

Only NHS Only Private Some of Each

Question 2

Where do you most commonly get the information you need to make a decision about your health and treatment? Please tick the appropriate response:

GP/Consultant Pharmacist Internet
Other healthcare professional
Magazines/Newspapers
Leaflet in medicine packet Friends and family
Disease specific organisation

FUNDING THE NHS

Question 3

More money than ever before is being spent on the NHS. Some people consider there is waste in the following areas. Please tick where you agree:

Cost of healthcare acquired infections e.g. MRSA / Clostridium Difficile

Cost of non-clinical staff e.g. managers

Ignoring best clinical practice

Buildings - out of date/in the wrong place

Waste by patients e.g. not taking prescribed drugs, visiting A&E rather than GP

Other, please specify

Question 4

Some people think money should be saved by not treating certain conditions on the NHS. Please tick if you agree with not treating any of the following:

Cosmetic surgery (unless following accidents)

Self-induced illness/injury e.g. sports-related, smokers, vehicle drivers, alcoholism, drug users

Premature births e.g. under 24 weeks

Patients over a specified age

IVF

Obesity

Other, please specify

Question 5

Would you prefer to pay for your health services in any of these ways? Please tick all that apply:

Insurance policy which is tax deductible

Co-payments - these are nominal payments similar to the excess on insurance policies.

Leave things as they are

Vouchers - exchangeable for healthcare up to a specified value.

Co-payment for drugs not funded by the NHS

Other, please specify

Question 6

The NHS was founded to be "free at the point of need". However, patients do pay some charges. Do you think there should be nominal charges for any of the following? Please tick any that you think should apply:

Visits to GP

Hospital food

Visits to dentist

Communications in hospital

Eye tests

Hospital parking

Prescriptions for all

"Hotel" charges for inpatients

Prescriptions for chronic illness

Access to medical records

Age-related prescriptions

Own en-suite room

Chiropody

Personal care (i.e. non clinical) for elderly

Other, please specify

Question 7

Inevitably things go wrong in any organisation. Compensation is payed from the NHS budget. Do you think the NHS should offer financial compensation to patients:

Individually determined by the Court after legal action
Standard fixed rates without need for legal action
Never

NHS SERVICES

Question 8

Depending on where you live in the UK, the services, charges and drugs available on the NHS vary. This is what is meant by the "Postcode Lottery". Some people think that the availability of local services should be decided locally. Different services, waiting times, drugs availability and charges apply in different parts of the country. Others think there should be a standard service, known as a "core" service throughout the UK, offering the same services, waiting times, drugs availability everywhere.

Do you think the NHS should offer patients? Please tick the appropriate response:

Services that are decided locally, based on local clinical needs
UK-wide standard "core" service

Question 9

Do you think you should have a legal right to any of the following NHS services regardless of where you live, your age, and your health status? Please tick all that apply:

Second opinion

Drugs and other interventions according to NICE guidelines.

Minimum standard of care

Treatment in a clean, safe environment

Investigations, e.g. x-rays, sight and hearing tests

Information on previous clinical performance of staff

Information on treatment options

Access to medical records

Confidentiality of medical records (restricted to NHS only)

Other, please specify

Question 10

Which of the following would make the greatest difference to your experience of the NHS? Please tick any that apply.