Picker responds to the Government’s Elective Reform Plan

The government has announced the Elective Reform Plan, which outlines a strategy to reduce the backlog of patients currently waiting for assessment and treatment.

Responding to the government’s announcement, Chris Graham, Group Chief Executive of Picker, said:

“We welcome the focus on people’s experiences in today’s announcement of the Elective Reform Plan. Initiatives to improve people’s experiences of waiting are important as we know that waiting, and a lack of clarity around what to expect, disempowers patients and can have a detrimental impact on their health and wellbeing.

“Requiring providers to name a board patient experience champion and providing customer care training for non-clinical staff are important first steps in enhancing the delivery of person centred care, but it is essential that all of today’s reforms are clearly communicated to patients and their families and carers, so they understand what to expect and how to access them.

“In addition to the changes announced today and as part of the upcoming ten-year plan for health, we would like to see a commitment to training all staff on person centred care and understanding and interpreting patient experience data. 

“Improvements to the NHS App are crucial to achieving the government’s aim of shifting from an analogue to digital NHS and should provide patients with greater choice and autonomy, but it is essential that these changes do not widen the ‘digital divide’. Patients who do not use the NHS App must have the same choices as those who do and it is essential that information provided is timely, accurate and clear, and signposts patients to where they can turn with questions.

“These announcements signal positive intent to centre patients in wider NHS reform and the upcoming ten-year plan. While the focus of today is elective care – an important starting point – improving access to primary care and mental health services must also be priorities.

“To ensure their success, clarity is needed on how these changes will be implemented and staffed – and staff need to be actively engaged in their rollout.”