Sherwood Forest Hospitals is asking local people to rate their experiences of King’s Mill, Newark and Mansfield Community hospitals.

The trust is supporting the national public awareness-raising event Friends and Family Test (FFT) Spotlight Week, which runs from 14th-18th March and encourages people to have their say on the NHS, other than through formal patient surveys or by making a complaint.

FFT was introduced for all Trusts in England and Wales to ensure that the voices of patients and their families are heard, enabling them to help shape better services. Since its launch in 2013, more than 10 million pieces of patient feedback have been submitted.

Patients who complete their treatment or are discharged from a service, will be asked how likely they are to recommend Sherwood Forest Hospital’s services to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment. Special posting boxes are provided on each ward and department for pre-printed postcards and all responses are anonymous. If patients are unable to fill in a card they can share their views through the NHS Choices website.

Victoria Bagshaw, Deputy Director of Nursing and Quality at the Trust, said: “We want to learn from our patients and this feedback enables us to make changes for the better. We can identify where improvements are required and check on progress.

“The information also allows us to celebrate areas where care is outstanding and to build on the success of our staff who, day in and day out, continue to deliver high quality patient care. I would encourage everyone to participate in this test.”