Ethical and societal issues Challenging and wide-ranging issues that have a bearing on health and care, as well as other aspects of society. Expand 2019 - Policy statement - Assisted dyingOur position on assisted dying and assisted suicide.2018 - Policy statement - Patient dataOur position on when and how patient data should be used. 2018 - Consultation response - Opt-out organ donationThe Government has decided to introduce a system of opt-out organ donation (or 'presumed consent') in England. This response gives our recommendations on safeguards and practicalities for the new system.
Engagement and coproduction How patients can be involved in decisions, from their own care through to designing entire systems. Expand 2018 - Consultation response - Extension of 'rights to have' for personal health budgetsThe Government consulted on extending the right to a personal health budget and integrated personal budget to numerous new groups of patients, including people with mental health needs and users of wheelchairs. We were broadly supportive of the proposals.2017 – Consultation response – Services fit for the Future, WalesThe Welsh Government proposed to overhaul systems for patient involvement and redress in the NHS in Wales. This response welcomes some aspects of the proposals, but raises concerns over plans to abolish Community Health Councils without an effective replacement.
Structures and organisation How the organisations in the health and care sectors are set up and operated for patients. Expand 2019 - Consultation response - Possible changes to NHS legislationNHS England developed proposals to change the legislation that underpins the NHS, to move it away from a marketised system to an integrated and collaborative one. We expressed support for the change in principle, but outlined concerns about accountability and transparency in the proposals.2018 - Consultation response - Developing a long term plan for the NHSAs a condition of the extra money announced for the NHS in 2018, NHS England was required to develop a new ten year plan. Our response urged that the plan should be both ambitious and patient-focused. 2018 - Joint publication - Priorities for the planA compilation of short briefings and recommendations from leading charities and other organisations, outlining key considerations for NHS England's development of a long term plan for the NHS.
Workforce Issues relating to the health and social care workforce, including doctors, nurses and other professionals Expand 2019 - Consultation response - GMC revalidation requirements for patient feedbackThe GMC consulted on its new guidance to doctors on taking patient feedback into account as part of their regular revalidation process. We welcomed the new approach, and suggested possible further improvements, for instance relating to unsolicited feedback.
Politics and elections National political events can have a bearing on the experiences of patients for years afterwards. Expand 2019 - Letter to the new Prime MinisterOur Chief Executive wrote to Boris Johnson to congratulate him on his appointment and set out priorities for health, care and wellbeing.2019 - Letter to the new Chancellor of the ExchequerOur Chief Executive wrote to Sajid Javid to congratulate him on his appointment and set out priorities for spending decisions in respect of health, care and wellbeing.2019 - Letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social CareOur Chief Executive wrote to Matt Hancock on his re-appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to make him aware of her letters to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, and affirm our willingness to work with his Department.2017 – Policy statement – Recommendations ahead of the general electionWe made five key recommendations to all parties at the 2017 general election, as part of our Vote4theNHS campaign. These related to funding, service transformation, person-centred care, safety and compassion, and Brexit. 2017 – Policy statement – Reaction to the general election resultThe 2017 general election produced a hung Parliament, in which the previous Conservative Government remained in office. Our reaction piece outlined the implications for health and social care.
Technology Digital and other technologies have the potential to transform how patients experience care. Expand 2019 - Consultation response - 'Digital first' primary careThis consultation proposed combining solutions for introducing new digital models of primary care with solving the problem of areas with insufficient doctors; we questioned whether this would be workable.
Medicines and treatments The importance of safe and effective medicines and treatments being available to patients. Expand 2019 - Consultation response - 'Low value' medicines update and further guidanceThis consultation reviewed the 'low value' medicines guidance from 2017, and added some new treatments to its scope. Our response outlined our findings of patients' experiences since the guidance was first introduced.2018 - Consultation response - Evidence based interventionsNHS England proposed to restrict access to some interventions that it deemed poor value for money. Our response highlighted the problems this could cause for patients, and advised NHS England to proceed much more cautiously.2018 - Consultation response - Over the counter medicinesNHS England proposed to issue guidance advising GPs not to issue prescriptions for certain treatments that can be bought over the counter. Our response considers the issue in the context of existing practice in ethical prescribing, and cautions about some of the complexity that the measure may introduce.2017 – Consultation response – 'Low value' medicinesNHS England proposed to issue guidance advising GPs not to prescribe certain medicines in most circumstances. Our response notes that this exercise is almost certainly cost driven, makes specific recommendations about particular medicines, and raises concerns about the development of these proposals, and also future proposals for restricting prescriptions for over-the-counter medicines.
Patient experience Every aspect of how people experience care, from GP access to hospital food. Expand 2019 - Report - Patients' views on possible changes to waiting times targetsWe conducted a short survey to gauge support among patients for possible approaches to changing clinical standards (targets) around waiting times for different types of treatment.
Brexit The consequences for patients, families and carers of the UK's departure from the EU. Expand 2019 - Policy statement - 'No deal' BrexitOur position on the possible implications for patients if the United Kingdom departs from the European Union without a withdrawal agreement.
Funding and sustainability The financial dimension of health and social care, and what it means to patients. Expand 2020 - Written submission - Representation to HM Treasury for the March 2020 BudgetOur submission reiterates our key calls from the 2019 spending round: social care, the NHS and a strategic appraoch to health, care and wellbeing. 2019 - Written submission - Representation to HM Treasury for the 2020-21 spending round and the BudgetOur submission calls for the allocation of new funding to make good on the Prime Minister's pledge to fix the social care crisis, and also to fill the ongoing shortfall in key areas of the NHS.2018 - Policy statement - Funding and sustainabilityOur position statement on how health and care should be funded. 2018 - Written submission - Representation to HM Treasury ahead of the BudgetOur submission addresses the Chancellor's promise of new money for the NHS, and the need for further commitments to put health and social care on a sound footing. 2018 - Policy statement - Hospital car parking chargesWe believe that car parking should be available free of charge for patients. This should be delivered as part of a full and sustainable funding settlement for the NHS, and alongside investment in alternative ways of getting patients to hospitals and other sites. 2017 – Written submission – Representation to HM Treasury ahead of the Autumn BudgetIn 2017, the Budget shifted to the Autumn. Ahead of it, we made recommendations to the Treasury for spending on health and social care at a time of growing demand. 2017 – Policy statement – Recommendations ahead of the Spring BudgetThe final Spring Budget was presented in 2017, before a shift to the Autumn. We called for an adequate funding settlement for health and social care, and argued that current levels of funding are clearly inadequate. 2017 – Policy statement – Reaction to the Spring BudgetThe Chancellor announced welcome new funding for social care in his final Spring Budget, but did not signal a full shift to the levels of health and social care funding widely argued to be necessary. Our reaction piece gave a full analysis.
Safety What it means when things go wrong in health and social care, and how they can be put right. Expand 2020 - Premature discharge from hospitalThis report describes the experiences of patients who were discharged from hospital when they were not well enough. 2020 - Policy statement - PHSOThe current formal statement of the Patients Association's position on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. 2020 - Consultation response - Response to NHS Improvement's consultation on the Patient Safety Specialist roleWe welcome the creation of the new role, and call for it to be empowered to lead effectively on safety within NHS Trusts.2019 - Policy statement - Safe staffing in hospitalsOur position on safe staffing in hospitals, following the Francis Inquiry and others2019 - Consultation response - Response to NHS Improvement's consultation on developing a patient safety strategy for the NHSWe welcome many of NHS Improvement's proposals, and recommend that a stronger focus on patient input, transparency and leadership be added.2018 - Consultation response - Response to the Patient Safety Learning green paper 'A Patient-Safe Future'Our reflections on the analysis of patient safety issues put forward by the charity Patient Safety Learning.2018 - Evidence submission to PHSO's review of clinical adviceOur evidence to PHSO about patients' experiences of its use of clinical advice. 2018 - Evidence submission to the Kark Review of the Fit and Proper Persons RequirementOur evidence to the review of the Fit and Proper Persons Requirement for senior leaders in the NHS.2018 - Evidence submission to the Marx / Hamilton review of gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicideOur evidence to the review of the law around manslaughter as it relates to medical errors. 2018 - Consultation response - Submission to joint committee on Draft Health Service Safety Investigations Body BillOur evidence to the parliamentary committee undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill to create HSSIB as an independent body. 2017 – Consultation response – PHSO draft strategic planThe Patients Association has been critical of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for the quality of its work for patients. This response summarises our past criticisms, and welcomes PHSO's proposals for transforming itself over the coming years. 2017 – Consultation response - Fixed recoverable costs for ‘lower value’ clinical negligence casesThe Government has proposed to restrict the value of recoverable costs available to patients who have been the victim of clinical negligence, and awarded 'lower value' damages. Our response opposes the proposals, argues that there is no reason why 'lower value' cases must inevitably be simpler and less expensive to litigate, and warns of a risk of patients being excluded from justice.