NHS recruiting mystery shoppers in Staffordshire

Patients are being asked to become ‘mystery shoppers’ by participating in a new programme which places the quality of patient care at the centre of the local NHS.

South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has implemented a new system to enable patients to feedback their views and opinions of the treatment they have received in hospitals locally.

Patients living anywhere in the South Staffordshire PCT area, which includes Stafford, Cannock Chase, Burton, Lichfield, Tamworth, Burton upon Trent, Uttoxeter, Wombourne and Kinver, who are about to be admitted to hospital or attend as an outpatient, are being asked to participate in the ‘mystery shopper’ programme.

Involvement is straight forward - patients willing to participate should contact the PCT by calling 01889 571700 and quote ‘Mystery Shopping’. The member of staff you speak to will then arrange to send you further information and a questionnaire to complete about your experiences at different stages of your treatment – depending on your length of stay.
 

The questionnaire should then be returned to the PCT in a freepost envelope, where it will be collated and shared with the local hospitals and, used to develop and improve future health services.

Yvonne Sawbridge, Director of Quality and Performance, South Staffordshire PCT said: “South Staffordshire PCT, Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust are working jointly on this project as we all regard patient feedback as an essential method of ensuring that the quality of care is of a high standard and that patients have a positive experience and are satisfied with the outcome of their treatment.

“We believe that this programme, which will provide virtually ‘real time’ feedback, will help us to develop services that are responsive to the needs of patients and are of an even higher standard.”

For further information and to participate in the programme please call 01889 571700.