Politics and elections

2024 - The Patients Association general election manifesto
Our manifesto, Patients can't wait, sets out actions the next Government must take to ensure more people are able to get the care they need and make patient partnership across health and care services. Reversing the normalisation of the crisis the NHS faces and rebuilding the relationship patients have with the NHS must be addressed urgently.

2023 - Letter to new health ministers
We wrote to the newly appointed health ministers in November to share our six principles of patient partnership.

2023 - Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Our Chief Executive wrote to the Health Secretary Victoria Atkins in September to welcome her to her new role.

2023 - Letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Our letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asked him to intervene to ensure the NHS has the resources it needs to deal with winter pressures and that patients get the treatment they need.

2023 - Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Our Chief Executive wrote to the Health Secretary to welcome his mention of our Time to Choose report and patient choice at the Conservative Party conference.

2023 - Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Sir Robert Francis KC and our Chief Executive wrote to the Health Secretary Steve Barclay in January calling on the Government to show clear leadership and declare a national incident in the NHS, with clearly communicated plans that protect patient safety and reduce the number of excess deaths related to the crisis.

2022 - Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Our Chief Executive wrote to the Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey in September to welcome her to her new role.

2022 - Letter to the Secretary of State on Health and Social Care
Our Chief Executive wrote to the Health Secretary in July asking him to take action to prevent a deterioration in NHS services that we warned would lead to unnecessary deaths.

Latest

Prioritising patient experience: Other than experiences of waiting, we measure but we don’t act

Patients Association Trustee Alf Collins and Richard Sloggett, Freelance Health Consultant and Programme Director at Future Health Research, make a simple plea: that all aspects of patient experience – not just their experience of accessing services – is taken seriously.
Supporting patient engagement and revitalising Patient Participation Groups

We have completed an exciting initiative in partnership with the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) to support patient engagement and revitalise Patient Participation Groups post pandemic.
New project focuses on improving health equity

Bristol Myers Squibb awards the Patients Association grant to research how to improve access to healthcare for patients affected by health inequalities.
The Untold Patient Stories: Shedding the light on the realities of life with a long-term condition

We're hosting a webinar to support The Forgotten Majority campaign that aims to raise awareness among policy makers about the real life every day challenges faced by people with long-term health conditions as we approach the General Election. Sign up - it's free!

New project focuses on improving health equity

Bristol Myers Squibb awards the Patients Association grant to research how to improve access to healthcare for patients affected by health inequalities.
Martha's Rule - a major step for patient partnership

The Government has confirmed Martha's Rule will be introduced in 100 NHS sites across England beginning in April 2024.
The Patients Association launches general election manifesto

The next Government must ensure people are able to get the care they need. Reversing the normalisation of the crisis the NHS faces and rebuilding the service's relationship with patients must be addressed. Our manifesto spells out how to make that happen.
Research shows patients want more control over how their health data are shared

More than a million people opted out of sharing their GP data when NHS Digital announced its GP Data for Research and Planning programme in 2021. This report explors why patients were so concerned and what should be done to improve confidence.
Letter to the Secretary of State

On 6th January our Chief Executive Rachel Power, and Sir Robert Francis KC, wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asking him to declare and national incident in the NHS. Here is the text of the letter.
The long road to recovery

The number of people waiting for hospital treatment is now 6.1 million, including 300,000 who have been waiting a year. We analyse the elective recovery plan and the integration white paper from a patient point of view.
Act now to protect the NHS

The Patients Association calls on Sajid Javid to prevent ‘catastrophic winter’ in a letter to the Health Secretary
Pandemic Patient Experience II

Our second survey of patients' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medicines and treatments

The importance of safe and effective medicines and treatments being available to patients.
Workforce

Issues relating to the health and social care workforce, including doctors, nurses and other professionals

Accessibility

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