Patient Experience Library: Patient experience in England 2025

Summary

Lord Darzi’s Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England said that 'the patient voice is not loud enough'. The NHS 10 Year Plan followed through by saying that 'The NHS does not take patient feedback seriously enough'. And the Dash Review of Patient Safety across the Health and Care Landscape noted that 'The system for managing and learning from concerns and complaints is highly fragmented'.

The solutions, it seems, will be data-driven. The NHS App will collect patient feedback and will then 'deploy AI to help translate it into actions for managers and clinicians'. Complaints work will 'increase the use of AI tools to ensure complaints data is collected - and responded to - far more quickly'.

Of course we must hope that better data does indeed lead to better patient experience. But to fully understand patient experience, we need do more than simply channel feedback through the App and then 'deploy AI to help translate it'.

There is already a wealth of knowledge translation going on in the world of patient experience and involvement - and it is not being run by bots.

Researchers, health charities, patient advocates and parliamentary committees mobilise huge expertise, shedding light on the multiple ways in which people experience health and healthcare.