Friends and Family Test to be extended across NHS

The accountability of the NHS and other public services is to be enhanced with the expansion of the Friends and Family Test scheme.

With this programme, users of all NHS services in England – including mental health services, community nursing and outpatient appointments – will be asked if they would recommend the service to their friends and family.

Results will be collected anonymously, with feedback to be combined to create overall scores for each service that will be published online.

This expansion will be completed by the end of March 2015, commencing this week with English maternity services, and represents a major change in the way the NHS listens to and responds to the needs of its patients.

The test has already been available in accident and emergency and inpatient hospital wards since April 2013.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "The NHS is embracing the need for more patient feedback – these are the seeds of lasting culture change. Patients will be given unparalleled opportunities to hold health services to account and choose their care."