‘Trip Advisor’-style feedback centres for NHS services in Essex is now fully operational

NHS services in Essex can now be rated using a ‘Trip Advisor’-style feedback service.

The feedback centre, launched nine months ago by Healthwatch Essex, is now fully running, allowing people across the county to leave reviews for hospitals, hospices, emergency care services, pharmacies, opticians, dentists, care homes, home care services, GPs, mental health services, and community and voluntary services.

Tom Nutt, chief executive of Healthwatch Essex, said: “We capture a lot of lived experience through our engagement and research activities, and this is the latest way in which we give people a voice.

“We recognised websites like Trip Advisor are incredibly popular and represent a much more modern way of allowing people to share their experiences, exercise choice and provide feedback.

“We wanted to take advantage of that in the world of health and care.”

The centre does not only offer the chance to give feedback, but also allows service providers the chance to respond to claims made, as well as find out where they are doing well and what they need to improve upon.

A spokesman for Healthwatch Essex added that services have so far found it helpful to connect with people and shape services around them.

And the centre is used not only to raise concerns – figures from Healthwatch show the average star rating is 3.9 out of five, with people complimenting services too.

To use the feedback centre, or for more information on it, visit www.healthwatchessex.org.uk/services/