MKUH expands Friends and Family Test (FFT) mobile service

Date: 14/01/2022

Following the successful introduction of our NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) mobile service across Outpatients and our Emergency Department, we will be expanding the programme to include all adult inpatient areas. This expansion will allow our patients to give timely feedback direct from their phone, making it more convenient and accessible.

In Outpatients alone, response rates have increased by more than 600% which is a phenomenal achievement and ensures that we continue to make evidence-based improvements that are reflective of our local population. This feedback is vital for enabling us to better understand the things we are doing well, as well as the areas for improvement so that we can continue to provide the best possible service to our patients.

The platform will officially go live for inpatients from Monday 1 August and will work in exactly the same way as in Outpatients and the Emergency Department. Patients must be registered with our MyCARE portal and will receive the short survey asking about their experience within 48 hours of their appointment. This survey will be sent as a text message, similarly to the communication patients would typically receive from the MyCARE platform.

The service will only be available for patients aged 18 and over.

Have a question? Take a look at some of our FAQs below:

Who will the text message come from?

You will receive a message from our MyCARE patient portal. While the sender contact information will display as a mobile number, the content of the message will make it explicitly clear that this has been issued on behalf of Milton Keynes University Hospital.

Will my mobile number be shared with anyone outside MKUH?

Your number will only be shared with our trusted patient portal supplier Zesty for the purposes of sending you the necessary feedback form. This process has been approved by the Trust board and is regulated under our Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) – further details can be found here.

Will my feedback remain anonymous even after though I have provided my mobile number?

In order to ensure we are sending the right information to the correct patients, your MRN (Medical Records Number) will be used so that we can initially send you the feedback form. Once your feedback has been received by the Trust, we will remove your MRN from our data collection so that your comments can be kept anonymous.

What happens if I don’t respond?

There is no mandatory requirement to complete the feedback form. While we strongly encourage you to do so, it is entirely your choice.

If you do not wish to make any comments at the time of your appointment, you are able to provide feedback retrospectively. Further details about how to provide feedback can be found here.

Does my feedback make a difference?

Absolutely! We meticulously evaluate all of the patient feedback that we receive to understand the things that we are doing well and the areas where we could improve. Capturing feedback via mobile devices is just another way that we are making it easier for our patients, ensuring we hear as many voices as possible.