Welcome to The Patients Association

The Patients Association is a national charity providing patients with an opportunity to raise concerns and share experiences of healthcare.

Through our Helpline, correspondence and research we learn from patients the issues that are of concern and work towards improving the healthcare we all receive.

Latest Press Release

The Patient Association's has issued a Press Release on their latest report Preventing Infections on the Frontline – a Survey of NHS Staff To view this press release please click here

The Patient Association's new report on the Dental Contract is launched.

The Patient Association's latest report, 'The Dental Contract: Full of Holes and Causing Pain?' was launched on Thursday, 6th of March at the Institute of Civil Engineers. To download the report, click here.

The NHS at 60 - The Patients Association Survey

This year the NHS is 60 years old.

It is a good time for an in depth look at how it works. Can it survive as it is? Should changes be made to the whole way we deal with healthcare in the UK?

No-one is asking PATIENTS themselves. Patients are the customers of health services and shareholders in the NHS.

So we would like YOUR views – to just 10 questions. Help us to bring patients views to the debate on the future of the NHS.

SHARE YOUR OPINIONS IN OUR NHS PATIENT SURVEY

The Patients Association is proud to support the

Nursing Standard Patient's Choice Award 2008.

Nominate a Nursing Star

The first ever nationwide Patient’s Award, organised by Nursing Standard, the UK’s best selling nursing journal

The recent Nurse Awards 2008 were a tremendous success and made for a wonderful evening at the Royal Opera House. The event was ground-breaking as it gave patients the opportunity to voice their opinions and reward the outstanding nurse of their choice.

The four finalists were short-listed from scores of nominations by an expert panel of judges, chaired by writer, broadcaster, former health minister and Trustee of the Patients Association, Edwina Currie, who says: ‘This is the first time that patients and their loved ones have had the chance to nominate who they believe is the best nurse in the country - so congratulations to Nursing Standard for organising this wonderful award.

The award for nurse of the year, as voted by the public went to Karen Logan, director of continence services at Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust. Mrs. Logan was merited for overhauling the way patients are taught self-catheterisation. She introduced changes after realising many people were being inadequately trained on the procedure.

Mrs. Logan's endeavours were recognised as making a substantial improvement to patient care, she has made such a difference through her expert clinical knowledge, inspirational leadership qualities and willingness to put patients at the centre of the trust's work.

Mrs. Logan and the other award finalists have been invited to Downing Street and are expected to meet Gordon Brown later this year in recognition of their public service.

PA Guide to.....

See our guides to being proactive in your healthcare!

Parliament Reviews Patient Risk & Biosimilar Medicines

The Patients Association recently took part in a House of Lords Review of Biosimilar Medicines. For full details of the event please see our events pages