RCN: NHS patients deserve high standards of care

Published: 30 August 2012

There is still work to do to ensure that every patient receives the high standard of care they deserve, wherever they are treated in the NHS, the Royal College of Nursing has said.

The comments were made in response to new figures released by the NHS Information Centre on written complaints about care in the NHS in England.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said that evidence showed that the vast majority of people are satisfied with the care they receive in the NHS.

“When the NHS falls short, it is right that people feel empowered and confident to complain. We would urge people who feel that their care has not been of the standard they would hope for to complain as soon as possible so that the full facts can be ascertained. This way, trusts will be able to identify causes of concern and act on them,” added Dr Carter.

The RCN says that every patient needs to be consulted and informed about their treatment and treated with respect and dignity.