THE first results of a survey asking patients in Worcestershire for feedback on community and mental health services have been positive.

The Friends and Family Test was rolled out across the services run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust at the start of January, allowing patients to give quick and anonymous feedback on the care they received.

The first results show 73 per cent of respondents would be extremely likely to recommend the service they received to others, while a further 18 per cent said they were likely to do so.

Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust chief executive Sarah Dugan welcomed the results.

“While it is still very early days for the Friends and Family Test it is very promising that so many of our patients would recommend our services to their friends and family,” she said.

“We want to ensure that our patients have the best possible experience of care and so I would encourage them to make sure they take the Friends and Family Test and help us further improve the care we provide across our services.”

The voluntary test was introduced to hospital services in April 2013 and a pilot scheme was carried out at a number of sites including Bromsgrove’s Princess of Wales Hospital last month.

Results are published on the trust’s website at www.hacw.nhs.uk every month but the test has not replaced the current NHS complaints procedure.

The test can be completed on paper after an appointment or online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/YOURFFT.