New web area allows patients to comment on NHS dentists
The Department of Health has added a new area to the NHS Choices website to allow patients to comment and leave feedback on dental practices and dental services.
The new web service was launched by Health Minister, Simon Burns, on the 23rd December. Now, NHS dental patients can leave comments about their experience at a dental practice, how easy it was to get an appointment, how friendly the members of staff were and whether they were allowed to get involved in their individual treatment plan; patients can also say whether or not they would recommend the practice to other NHS patients. The new section also allows patients to read other users comments about practices and services in their local area.
According to Simon Burns, the new section will provide useful information for both patients and dental professionals; patients can share their experiences and learn about other dental practices and professionals can use the information and feedback left by patients to improve their service and address any issues that may have arisen on the site. Burns said that the new online service was a means of modernisation and a way of using the influence and popularity of the internet to improve NHS services.
The Department of Health has also approved the independent website, Patient Opinion; the website, which is run by Dr Paul Hodgkin, a GP from Sheffield, allows patients to leave comments about primary care services and hospitals. Dr Hodgkin will now work alongside the NHS and comments published on the Patient Opinion site will also appear on the new NHS Choices website. Dr Hodgkin said that he was delighted to be working with the NHS to improve services and address issues that are worrying patients; he said that this latest venture was an excellent example of the ‘Big Society’.
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