Healthcare System Introduces New Leadership Position: Patient Experience Directorate
In a significant move towards enhancing patient care and experience, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is set to establish a new **Directorate for Patient Experience** within its ranks. This development is part of a broader restructuring effort affecting NHS England and other healthcare entities.
## Key Responsibilities
The new directorate will focus on several key areas:
1. **Patient Voice and Complaints**: The directorate will work towards improving the complaints function across the NHS, fostering patient engagement, and providing advocacy support for those wishing to voice concerns about their care[1].
2. **Integration of Patient Safety Commissioner's Role**: The Patient Safety Commissioner's role, which originally focuses on promoting patient safety and enabling user feedback on adverse impacts of medicines and medical products, will be partially transferred to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)[1]. The MHRA, responsible for monitoring medicines and medical devices, will handle safety issues related to these areas, while the broader patient safety work will be integrated into the new directorate within DHSC[1].
3. **Enhanced Profile for Patient Experience**: The creation of a Director of Patient Experience underscores the importance of patient-centered care and aligns with practices in other large consumer-focused organizations[1].
## Context of NHS Restructuring
NHS England is currently undergoing significant changes, with the DHSC taking over its functions. This new structure aims to integrate responsibilities more effectively and improve patient safety and experience across the healthcare system[4]. Mergers and system changes are expected to be completed by April 2026 or 2027, with ongoing discussions about regional structures and service provision[2]. The integration of the Patient Safety Commissioner's broader remit into DHSC is part of this larger restructuring effort[1][3].
It is worth noting that the timeline for creating the Directorate for Patient Experience within NHS England and its transfer to the Department of Health and Social Care is not yet clear.
## Engaging with the New Structures
Developers and suppliers of MedTech should engage with the new structures to demonstrate how their products can enhance patient dignity, outcomes, and experience. For comments or questions about the use of AI in this article, please contact Chris Whitehouse at [email protected].
[1] Source: Report of the Review of patient safety led by Dr Penny Dash [2] Source: NHS England and NHS Improvement [3] Source: Department of Health and Social Care [4] Source: NHS England and NHS Improvement, Department of Health and Social Care
- The establishment of the Directorate for Patient Experience by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) signifies a significant shift towards digital health, as the new directorate will focus on improving healthcare experiences and integrating technology to enhance patient safety and outcomes.
- With the restructuring of NHS England and other healthcare entities, the introduction of the Directorate for Patient Experience provides an opportunity for medical-conditions management to become more informed and patient-centered, by using insights from patients and advocates.
- The Directorate for Patient Experience within DHSC will not only foster medical devices innovation to improve patient care but also contribute to health-and-wellness initiatives by focusing on patient satisfaction and experiences.
- To successfully navigate the impact of this healthcare reorganization on their products and services, financial planning and business strategies for technology suppliers and developers in health-and-wellness will need to be adaptable, keeping patient demands and the evolving needs of the medical field in mind.
