Picker responds to the Government’s ‘Plan for Change’ update

On December 5th 2024, the government provided an update on its ‘Plan for Change‘, which includes a commitment to “Build an NHS Fit for the Future”.

Responding to the plan, Chris Graham, Group Chief Executive of Picker, said:

“It’s very welcome to see a focus on ‘transforming patient experience’ at the centre of the Government’s ‘Plan for Change’. Ensuring that people have good experiences is essential to providing high quality person centred care.

“Embracing technology will be an important element in realising this ambition: better use of tools like the NHS App could help give people more control over their own care. But technology alone is not enough to deliver a first rate patient experience: as our Principles of Person Centred Care show, much depends on the human relationships that are at the heart of care.

“It is positive interactions with health and care staff that underpin patients’ expectations of clear communication, active involvement, and of being treated with empathy and respect – and so it is vital that the NHS workforce is supported and empowered to provide excellent care.

“The emphasis on patients and their experiences in the ‘Plan for Change’ shows a strong commitment to building a person centred NHS. We hope to see this replicated and developed in the upcoming ten-year plan for health, which will provide an opportunity to further explore how the service can most effectively meet people’s needs.”