Patients Association

The Patients Association is an advocacy group operating in the UK that aims to improve patients' experience of healthcare.[1] Established in 1963, it became a registered charity in 1991.[2] The Patients Association works with patients directly: they are its members and supporters, and also the people who benefit from the organisation's help and advice services. The Chair is Lucy Watson, and the Chief Executive is Rachel Power. Sir Robert Francis QC is the President.[3]

Activities and funding

The organisation runs a national helpline, "providing specialist information, advice and signposting to help people navigate the often complex world of health and social care."[4] The helpline operates a telephone service and also responds to enquiries by email, post and through its Live Chat service. Helpline advisers do not provide medical or legal advice to callers.

The Association reported in its 2018 Annual Review[5] that 96 per cent of helpline callers would recommend the free service to friends and family members. The types of organisations the Association's helpline receive calls about range from A&Es to dentists, but care at GP practices and patients’ experiences as outpatients account for almost half of all enquiries.

The Patients Association's income for 2019 was £458,606 and it held reserves of £114,963 at the end of the year.[6]

History

The Patients Association was set up in 1963 by Helen Hodgson, "a part-time teacher who was motivated by recent events concerning the drug Thalidomide, and reports of patients receiving the wrong treatment and tests being carried out on patients without their informed consent."[7]

Katherine Murphy was the Director and Chief Executive Officer from 2007 to 2017. During this ten year period, she led and maintained the Patients Association as market leader in the campaigning and lobbying on the subject of patient and carer rights. Under her leadership, the Patients Association established successful relationships with regulators and other bodies. Katherine was the Association's media spokesperson at a national level, representing and defending the organisation's policy and strategy, and calling for reform of the NHS complaints system. Murphy stepped down in March 2017.[8]

References
  1. "How we see the world". patients-association.org.uk. Patients Association. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  2. "The Patients Association – Charity overview". gov.uk. Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  3. "Meet the team". patients-association.org.uk. Patients Association. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  4. "Helpline". patients-association.org.uk. Patients Association. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  5. "Our 2018 annual review". patients-association.org.uk. Patients Association. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  6. "The Patients Association – Annual return and accounts". gov.uk. Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  7. "The difference we make". patients-association.org.uk. Patients Association. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  8. "Murphy steps down as Patients Association CEO". nationalhealthexecutive.com. National Health Executive. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
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