News

Francis Report: our comment on government’s response

National Voices welcomes the comprehensiveness of the government response to the Francis report but believes the impact of these measures on the quality and safety of care in hospitals is uncertain. National Voices also remains concerned that a new legal requirement on trusts to be honest to patients when they have caused harm does not go far enough.

National Voices’ Chief Executive, Jeremy Taylor, said:
“The Government has done a thorough job in responding to Francis, in particular by beefing up regulation, inspection, reporting and accountability requirements. We welcome the seriousness of the effort but experience suggests we should be cautious about the likely impact of such measures on improving care.”   

Integration Pioneers Announced

National Voices welcomes government announcements for 14 new 'integration pioneers': 14 areas which will help drive forward coordinated care.
 
Don Redding, Director of Policy at National Voices, said:
"Since 2011 National Voices has been saying that joining up care around the needs of the individual is the biggest step forward in quality t

Don’t Water Down Honesty with Patients and Families

Comment on government plan to restrict the Duty of Candour

National Voices is deeply concerned about government plans to water down the proposed Duty of Candour for NHS organisations. The plans are likely to against the spirit of a report into NHS complaints, due to be published on Monday, 28 October,  by Ann Clwyd MP and Tricia 

The 'Duty of Candour' (a duty to be honest with patients when mistakes or lapses in patient safety may have caused harm) was a recommendation of Robert Francis QC from the Mid Staffordshire public inquiry.  

However, Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has now said that the Duty of Candour will be restricted to a duty be honest with patients and their families in only the most severe cases of harm and fatal cases. This was confirmed in the House of Lords on 16 October.  

Care and Support Planning: Join the Conversation

Online forum live throughout October

National Voices, the charity coalition, is inviting health and social care professionals to help them develop a toolkit for personalised care and support planning. 

Click to see a draft version of the toolkit. Professionals are invited to take part in a conversation throughout October, alongside people who use services, to develop the tools and make sure they work for everyone involved.

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