Why is feedback important in health and social care? Sharing is caring

Regulatory bodies, such as the Care Quality Commission in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, the Care Inspectorate Wales, and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland, highly prioritise feedback.  

One regulatory body is even going a step further by launching a campaign to emphasise the importance of feedback. The 'Share for Better Care' campaign, led by the Care Quality Commission and Healthwatch England, aims to support the voice of people using care services.  

Supported by other partners, including the Race Equality Foundation, National Dignity Council, Royal Association for Deaf people, National Voices, the Challenging Behaviour Foundation, the Patients Association, VoiceAbility and Disability Rights UK, the 'Share for Better Care' campaign will focus on collecting experiences from people from seldom-heard communities, including: 

• Minority ethnic communities 

• Lower-income communities 

• Autistic people and people with a learning disability 

• Disabled people with physical or sensory impairments. 

Why feedback matters 

Gathering, actively listening to, and taking action based on individuals' experiences of care is essential for ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led services. This process contributes to meeting regulatory requirements and supports improving the quality of care for those in need. 

Here's a quick breakdown as to why feedback matters:  

• Improves resident satisfaction: ensures that care organisations are adequately meeting each resident's needs and preferences.
• Enhances service quality: assists in identifying successful practices and areas for improvement.
• Encourages professional development: guides care workers so they are aware of areas where they need to improve their skills.
• Compliance: meets regulatory requirements. 

Care providers must proactively engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including individuals utilising the services, staff members, visiting professionals, professional bodies, commissioners, local groups, members of the public, and other relevant bodies to gather feedback on the quality of care and treatment being provided.  

Additionally, providers must demonstrate how they have analysed and acted upon the gathered feedback, addressing any issues raised and utilising the information to drive improvements and showcase tangible progress. 

Examples of feedback 

I enjoy my time at the care home and appreciate my carer and the friends I've made. However, a festival recently passed that means a lot to me, and no one at the care home acknowledged the event. Since I didn't have a family to celebrate with, this made me feel sad and lonely. I was hoping that next year, we could celebrate the event at the care home. Having more opportunities to come together, share our different cultures, and discuss faith would also be good. 

I just wanted to take a moment to share some positive feedback. Fatima, who cares for my mum, has been fantastic recently. I genuinely appreciate how she handles all the daily tasks with so much care and attention to detail. What's even more impressive is her extra effort to make every care task personalised and meaningful for my mum. For instance, she not only tends to the regular duties but also takes my mum out for a leisurely walk and even does her nails, which genuinely makes my mum feel special.

The way Fatima goes above and beyond is truly heartwarming. My mum can't stop expressing her gratitude for everything Fatima has done for her, and it means the world to us. Thank you so much, Fatima! 

How to collect feedback

One method of collecting feedback that's proving popular amongst care professionals is Reshub, Person Centred Software's new research-driven resident engagement platform. 

ResHub's Family Engagement Module:  

• Complies with all regulators across the UK
• Ensures that care providers gather people's experiences of care through its advanced survey software
• Provides feedback through in-app services so that your voice is heard 

Providers can publish the surveys to residents and families with the opportunity to download and analyse their results!  

Helping care providers understand residents' preferences and choices  

ResHub also plays a crucial role in helping care providers gain insight into residents' preferences and choices. The platform gathers various data, such as quantitative insights on residents' activities and the types of services booked.

Additionally, ResHub's surveys allow for extensive data to be collected, empowering residents and families to provide valuable feedback and give them a voice. This enables care providers to better understand residents' preferences and adjust their services to meet their needs, putting a real focus on customer experience. 

And that's not all! This innovative, easy-to-use, fully integrated 'hub' offers a whole host of benefits for everyone; click here to learn more!