§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Performance Assessment Framework assimilates patients' views on(a) food and (b) other issues. [47005]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Performance Assessment Framework is based on a balanced scorecard, which allows organisations to get a rounded view of performance. The framework highlights a number of areas of performance, including patient/carer experience.
The framework is supported by a set of national NHS performance indicators. The indicators published in February 2002 included a number of measures of patient/carer experience, including an indicator of hospital cleanliness and information on the handling of complaints. We are currently developing indicators to reflect patients' views, based on comprehensive surveys, initially of acute in-patients, on food and other issues that are of importance to them.