Subscribers often ask us if there is an easy way for them to show how they are using feedback to bring about service improvements or other kinds of change.
Many subscribers would like to be able to show the public, local commissioners, and national regulators that feedback really does lead to change.
So we now ask you to add some extra "change information" when you post a response. You can select the change information which best fits your response.
What is the "change information"?
There are three change options available for your response. The three options are:
- No change is planned
- We are planning a change
- We have made a change
What happens to the change information I add?
The change information makes it easy for the Care Opinion website to show when feedback has led to a change of some sort. This can be helpful in different ways.
For example:
- We show this on each story so everyone can see what has happened.
- We make it easy for you and others to search for changes you have made.
- You can create a report of changes across all or part of your organisation, which you can share with staff, your board or your regulators.
- It is easy for everyone, including the public, to see which organisations are doing the most with patient and carer feedback.
- Changes can ‘close the feedback loop’, which people prefer to see, as a result their feedback.
What do you mean by "change" anyway?
Change may mean different things, depending on the context, and how you are able to use online feedback to make improvements.
For example:
- For the service provider, change may be a different way of doing things, changing the text in a letter to patients, a new policy, a new post, a comfortable chair for relatives, or clearer signage.
- For the commissioner, change may be a new way of involving people in commissioning, something new to add to performance monitoring, or a consultation on an issue of concern.
- For the local patient involvement body, a change might be a decision to pursue a specific local issue, to organise a public meeting, or to monitor local feedback on something.
- For a national or regional policy team, a change might be a change to policy, new guidance for health services, or a new approach to policy making in a specific area.
- For those providing professional education and training, a change might be a decision to bring patient feedback into their courses, or to give students a new way to reflect on patient experience.
What is NOT a Planned or Made Change?
It's important that any changes planned or made are a direct result of feedback given in a story. Here are some situations where you wouldn't add a Change logo to your response:
- Passing Feedback onto staff members
- Nominating a staff member for an award
- Taking feedback to staff meetings
- Responding to a story where the author has seen an improvement in the service ALREADY.
You can see some lovely examples of changes planned or made by health and care service staff here: Changes Planned I Changes Made
Find out more about Responding Well to stories on Care Opinion