Friends and Family Test
The Family Friend Test is a quick way of receiving honest and open feedback from patients.
Here at Healthwatch South Gloucestershire we support the newly revamped FFT and its roll-out across health services.
In the next few months our staff and volunteer teams will attend information sessions on the FFT so that we can pass on this information to local residents, listening to the views of patients and staff helps identify what is working well, what can be improved and how.
About the FFT
The FFT asks people if they would recommend the services they have used and offers a range of responses. From April 2020, the question will be changed to invite feedback on the overall experience of using the service. When combined with supplementary follow-up questions, the FFT provides a mechanism to highlight both good and poor patient experience. This kind of feedback is vital in transforming NHS services and supporting patient choice.
After being launched in April 2013, the FFT was rolled out in phases to most NHS-funded services in England over a two-year period, and now gives all patients, users of services and their carers and loved ones the opportunity to leave feedback on their care and treatment.
During 2018/19, the NHS carried out a development project to improve the FFT and make it a more useful tool for driving service improvement. This has resulted in a number of revisions to the way it will work, which are set out in revised guidance for services, and these changes will take effect from 1 April 2020.
'Largest' patient information source in the world
So far, the FFT has produced more than 65 million pieces of feedback– and the total rises by around 1.2 million more every month – making it the biggest source of patient opinion in the world. Scores so far have told us that at least nine out of ten patients would recommend the NHS services they used to their loved ones. Patient comments also identify areas where improvements can be made so that providers can make care and treatment better for everyone.
Do you need more information?
We have access to information in a range of formats and will circulate a range of promotional materials about the FFT before it comes into force in April 2020.
Tell us about your experience
If you are a service provider or patient who has completed the FFT, tell us more about your experience.
