Patient representatives: a new role in patient advocacy

Patient representatives advocate the consumer interests of hospital patients. The initiation and development of this role in hospitals in the USA during the mid-1970s is now being mirrored in the UK. Patient representatives in both countries have been supported by powerful hospital associations, receive their authority to act through hospital management and deal with similar patient issues. Occupational boundary disputes have occurred with other healthcare professionals who feel that they are the patient's advocate. It is important to differentiate between this new full-time professional role and other claims to patient advocacy made by the nursing profession.