Patient's charter. NHS--keeping the customer satisfied

Complaints to the College of Health suggest that the Patient's Charter standards on receiving care on the basis of clinical need, response to complaints, and information-giving are not being met in many cases. Patients must be involved in revising the Patient's Charter. A truly patient-focused service demands patient representatives on health authority and trust boards, spot checks and systematic reviews of health services. Acute trusts should be remodelled to mirror the patient's progress through the hospital and back to the community.