Expect to see blood in your semen.” This was the shouted afterthought from the clinician to a middle aged patient with prostate cancer across a crowded waiting room as he left the consultation. A room of strangers turned to look at him now thinking, as he pointed out wryly, about his sexual activity. Just a small thing. But one which affected this patient deeply. This was just one of the filmed patient experience stories which can be used as triggers for real change in staff behaviour and service delivery.
We were at a seminar last week in Exeter to discuss latest research on how the NHS uses information about patient experience. We heard that the NHS is the envy of the world, with the most comprehensive patient experience data system. This includes almost 20 million Family and Friend Test items and well established and validated inpatient and GP survey returns. But as with patient safety incidents, we often collect too much and do too little with it.
To read the full blog visit the BMJ’s website