NHS Patient-Centred Care – Just Nice or Necessary?

A report posted by the NHS confederation has suggested that hospitals are still neglecting the issue of patient-centred care. Rather than trying to challenge the issue and improve patients overall experiences, NHS hospitals still continue to focus principally on providing a fair and efficient system.   The NHS does a fantastic job with the resources it has, and while there is nothing wrong with wanting to provide a service, which provides equality and runs effortlessly, it is important not to forget the patients and the experiences they have. Although patient-centred care has been classed as “nice but not necessary” by some hospital boards, others have strongly disagreed. A deputy director at the NHS confederation expressed how simple actions, such as taking time to talk and listen to patients, improving the surroundings they are in and giving them better food, can all significantly contribute to making a patient’s experience positive.

Has the UK fallen behind?

The UK’s lack of patient-centred care was highlighted in the 2010 Commonwealth Fund appraisal of healthcare services. The appraisal was carried out in seven nations, and unfortunately the UK was voted seventh for its patient-centred care. A patients experience within NHS hospitals, as with any other service, is personal. It can affect how individuals perceive a whole organisation; therefore it is highly important to make sure patients do receive the best experience that can be offered with the resources available. Due to the “nice but not necessary” mind set of many NHS hospital boards, more and more people are opting to use private healthcare. Private hospitals offer patient-centred care and view it as a necessity rather than an added bonus. Quality treatment, one-to-one consultations and clean and relaxing environments, are just a few of the reasons as to why private hospitals have become so appealing. If you were to become ill and need medical treatment, wouldn’t you want to know that you would be given the best possible patient-centred care? Knowing you are in capable hands in a comforting environment, can help prevent adding more stress to an already stressful time. Drewberry Ltd has a access to all the leading UK health insurance provider each with a range of products to suit every persons needs and budget. Private medical insurance provides the peace of mind should the time come where you need medical treatment, it would be everything you expected it to be.