CQC Surveys

The CQC (Care Quality Commission) are an independent regulator (the people who check) of hospitals, care homes and other health services are good enough. They do regular checks and surveys to make sure these places are safe and treating people properly.

One of their surveys is called the National Inpatient Survey. This survey asks people who have stayed in hospital overnight about their experience. Things like whether staff explained things clearly, if the place was clean, and if they got help with any pain.

A few weeks after leaving hospital, some patients will get a letter or phone call inviting them to fill in the survey. It's up to each person whether they want to take part or not.

The CQC looks at all the survey answers and puts together reports. These reports are published on their website for anyone to read. The reports show how well each hospital and care home is doing. This helps people decide where to get their care.

The survey results also help the CQC see which places need to improve. They can then work with those hospitals and care homes to make things better.

As well as the surveys, the CQC says hospitals must put up special posters in waiting areas and wards. These 'dissent posters' tell patients they have the right to say no to being treated by a particular person if they're not happy with them.

The CQC does all this to make sure health services are good quality and keep people safe. The surveys let patients have their say, and the posters give patients more choice over their care.