Workforce

2021 - Consultation response - Review of professional regulators
We were invited to complete this questionnaire as part of the ongoing review of professional regulation.

2021 - Consultation response - Regulating healthcare professionals
Responding to proposals to reform how healthcare professionals are regulatied, we argue for stronger involvement of patients in many of the key processes.

2021 - Consultation response - PSA accredited registers
In this response, we give patients' views on how accredited, voluntary registers for healthcare professionals can be valuable, and also how they can be improved.

2019 - Consultation response - GMC revalidation requirements for patient feedback
The 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.

Latest

Take your chance to shape the future of medical practice

The General Medical Council (GMC) is consulting on an updated version of Good medical practice, its overarching ethical guidance for all doctors working in the UK. Neil Tester, deputy chair of the GMC’s Good medical practice advisory forum, explains why it’s important for patients to have their say.
Snapshot of health professionals' attitudes to shared decision making

Our latest report, Shared decision making from the perspective of clinicians and healthcare professionals, is based on the views of more than 1,400 professionals. We highlight our findings in this infographic.
Patients ability to work with health professionals undermined by current crisis in the NHS

Doctors, nurses and other health professionals practice and support shared decision making. But, as our latest reports lays out, there are many obstacles preventing them for working this way with patients on a daily basis.
Health professionals back patient involvement in their own care, Patients Association survey finds

But workforce crisis prevents patients from participating fully in decisions about their care

Take your chance to shape the future of medical practice

The General Medical Council (GMC) is consulting on an updated version of Good medical practice, its overarching ethical guidance for all doctors working in the UK. Neil Tester, deputy chair of the GMC’s Good medical practice advisory forum, explains why it’s important for patients to have their say.
Patients ability to work with health professionals undermined by current crisis in the NHS

Doctors, nurses and other health professionals practice and support shared decision making. But, as our latest reports lays out, there are many obstacles preventing them for working this way with patients on a daily basis.
Health professionals back patient involvement in their own care, Patients Association survey finds

But workforce crisis prevents patients from participating fully in decisions about their care
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
Social care changes: how will the new charging system work?

What is the 'cap' and the 'floor' in the new plans for charging for social care? We give an explanation.
Pandemic Patient Experience II: Delays and cancellations

Most respondents to our survey had experienced delayed or cancelled appointments.
Pandemic Patient Experience II: Staying away from care?

We found that it was more common during the pandemic for patients to try to access care but struggle than to stay away voluntarily, although both happened.
Pandemic Patient Experience II: NHS 111

Our survey showed a modest increase in use of NHS 111 during the pandemic, and a mix of patient experiences - more positive than negative, but still with some cause for concern.
Pandemic Patient Experience II: Access to services

Patients told us about the difficulties they encountered accessing care during the pandemic, with GP services a particular problem.