The NHS Family and Friends Test (FFT) will be implemented into general practice in December 20141 and The NHS Strategic Projects Team is supporting this implementation across the Midlands and East region.
In our workshops, GPs and managers initially considered FFT another mechanism for complaints’ generation; but training has demonstrated that FFT can promote a better relationship between patients and practices. Our pilot sites have report being pleasantly surprised at the feedback received from patients. This has been overwhelmingly positive, expressing gratitude to the practice for its quality of care; for the first time, a technique is being introduced into general practice which will produce consistent, monthly feedback of the patient experience. Any issues have usually been relatively minor in nature requiring small adjustments to service delivery.
NHS England has produced guidance for general practice.2 Every practice will ask the same initial question: how likely are you to recommend our GP practice to friends and family if they needed similar treatment or care? Patients have the opportunity of scoring this question as very likely; likely; no more likely than unlikely; unlikely; very unlikely; or don’t know. The results are submitted to NHS England monthly. How the score will be calculated will be based on further guidance from NHS England. A second question, which can be of the practice’s choosing, asks for further information and can target specific local issues if required.
FFT has been used in industry for many years; it is only new to the NHS. Hospitals have used the feedback to adjust services reflecting patient commentary. Examples can be found on our website: http://www.thestrategicprojectsteam.co.uk/. The information will assist colleagues to implement the Friends and Family Test and use it to improve the patient experience further.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2014