Local NHS organisations across the South have received 21 nominations in a national competition recognising success in delivering the Friends and Family Test (FFT) patient feedback tool.

The shortlist for the national Friends and Family Test Awards is announced today, the start of a ‘Spotlight Week’, seeking to raise awareness of and promote patient participation in the Friends and Family Test. The winners will be announced at a national conference on Thursday 17 March.

The Friends and Family Test asks the question: “How likely are you to recommend this service to your friends and family?” with follow-up free-text questions for patients, carers and family to provide detailed feedback on what was done well or where things could be better.

The Friends and Family Test was first introduced in April 2013 and has now been rolled-out across all sectors of NHS care, from General Practice to A&E, from dental to community healthcare.

Since it began, over 3.5million pieces of patient feedback have been gathered from across the South region and nearly 17million nationally. The majority of the feedback is positive, with around 9 out of every 10 patients saying they would recommend the service their family and friends.

Responses include comments on simple improvements such as the cleanliness of facilities or provision of information – with the feedback helping an NHS service to make quick changes. Feedback has also helped drive more complex matters such as improving staff training or even identifying safety issues.

Download and view details of the FFT responses for the South Region.

Sarah Elliott, Chief Nurse, NHS England South said: “The Friends and Family Test is a quick and simple way to give feedback on the quality of NHS services. It helps us to quickly identify those things we need to improve and provides positive feedback for staff when they are getting it right. I urge everyone to have their say.

“I am also very proud to see that we have received so many nominations for awards, showing that there are some fantastic examples of good practice, really listening to patients to make improvements. I hope to see some winners on Thursday.”

The Friends and Family Test Awards will be awarded on Thursday 17 March 2016.