'Information' on hospitals on web
Updated on 21 November 2008
Almost half of doctors would not automatically recommend the hospital where they work to loved ones, according to a new poll.
Only four out of 10 doctors would "definitely" recommend their workplace to family and friends, 36% would "probably" and 13% would "not" or "definitely not."
More than 85% of doctors also said they had witnessed "significant" or "major differences" in the standards of care offered at the hospitals where they have worked during their career.
The poll of 312 doctors was carried out to launch a new website - nhsUnlocked.org - which aims to combine doctor and patient experiences to give "insider info" on what hospitals are really like alongside ratings.
It was set up by two London-based NHS hospital doctors, Matt Jameson Evans, a registrar in orthopaedic surgery, and Chris McCullough, a registrar in renal medicine. They founded the doctors' pressure group RemedyUK.
Among those who completed the survey, 86% were hospital doctors, 10% were GPs and 4% were non-medical hospital staff.
Jameson Evans, director of nhsUnlocked.org, said: "The aim of nhsUnlocked.org is to give patients as well as clinicians the kinds of insights into the NHS that until now have been limited to those working in the medical profession.
"By opening up this kind of information to the wider community, we hope to help patients so they can make the right decisions for them to get the best possible care."
Charles Gore, chief executive of The Hepatitis C Trust, said: "It is vital that patients have access to clear independent information so they can make the most of the changes in the NHS that give them greater freedom over where they receive treatment.
"I welcome the launch of nhsUnlocked.org as a useful new tool that can help patients to make informed choices about their care."
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