NHS England is committed to putting patients and their carers at the centre of everything it does. Patients, their relatives and carers, as well as patient groups, voluntary organisations and other representatives, have been heavily involved in helping to design and make decisions on key policy areas within NHS England to date. This will continue and strengthen as NHS England takes on its full responsibilities.

NHS England will develop a strategy to ensure that patients, are included in strategic decision-making, in partnership with voluntary organisations and other key partners, later this year.

Healthwatch is the new, independent, consumer champion for health and social care. Local Healthwatch organisations will give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are delivered. As a member of the health and wellbeing board, Local Healthwatch will ensure that what matters to local people is at the heart of the local decision-making processes. Local Healthwatch will gather views and experiences from local people on their health and care services and present this evidence to commissioners and providers of local services.

Healthwatch England, using evidence from local Healthwatches and other sources, will provide advice to the Secretary of State for Health, NHS England, Monitor, the Care Quality Commission and English local authorities.

Getting feedback from patients and using it to improve services is an important responsibility of all organisations providing NHS services. From 1 April 2013, the Friends and Family Test is now allowing all patients using acute inpatient and accident and emergency services to rate the care they received. Results will allow hospitals to be more responsive, patients to compare services and commissioners and the public to hold services to account.