AN OFSTED style of ratings for hospitals and care homes could be introduced.
That’s the announcement, which has been made by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
And Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust’s maternity ward could be one department to pilot the scheme.
A review has been launched to look at the way in which a new ratings system could help improve healthcare across the country.
Mr Hunt said: ‘Next year we will roll out the “friends and family” test across the NHS.
‘For the first time hospital users will be asked if they would recommend the care they received to a friend or close member of their family.
‘NHS staff will say if they would recommend it to their families.
‘That’s the closest measure we can get to “care as you would wish to be cared for”.
‘I know how well each school in my constituency is doing thanks to independent and thorough Ofsted inspections.
‘But because the Care Quality Commission only measures whether minimum standards have been reached in adult social care, I don’t know the same about hospitals and care homes.’
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