Requesting feedback from patients
This page provides detailed information on how to select patients and collect their feedback.
Randomise your selection
The following guidance is provided to help avoid bias in the selection of patients for feedback. Please apply this guidance as far as practical to do so.
We recommend that you select at least 40 patients to ensure you receive the recommended number of 25 returns or higher, to support the analysis. If this is not possible and you request for your report to be released with less than the recommended number (but more than the minimum of 5) the following advisory note will be added to your report: ‘Please note that there are fewer than the recommended 25 returns, so please treat the patient results with caution.’
- For psychiatrists with a current caseload size greater than 60
Number each patient on your caseload consecutively starting from 1. Use a random number generator tool to select the recommended number of 40 patients from your total caseload. Random number generator tools are available online – you can also contact the ACP 360 team if you need help in generating a list.
- For psychiatrists with a current caseload size between 40 and 60
Include all of the patients on your caseload.
- For psychiatrists with a current caseload size of fewer than 40
Include all of the patients on your current caseload. Make the number up to 40 (or the highest number possible) by including in addition and in consecutive order those patients who have been most recently discharged from your caseload.
Please do not consciously exclude any eligible patient who is on your caseload. If you do, please document the reason and discuss this with your appraisal manager.
You may wish to record the names and contact details of the patients you have selected to assess you so that you can send reminder letters if necessary.
Confirm your patient feedback group
You may wish to contact your patients in advance, before collecting their feedback, to introduce the ACP process and to confirm their agreement to participate.
If you wish to email or write to your patients prior to sending questionnaires, templates have been provided under Info for Psychiatrists: ‘Template email for online patient Feedback’ and ‘Template letter for posted patient feedback’. You can copy, paste and edit this content as required. If needed, a ‘Template reminder letter for posted patient feedback’ has also been provided.
Request patient feedback
Once you have confirmed your patient group, there are two options for collecting their feedback – online, or by using a printed version of the questionnaire.
Go to your ‘Dashboard’ and enter the name and email address of your patients from the ‘Service user’ section. Click ‘Send email’ when done.
The system will automatically send an email to the recipient. The email will explain what ACP is and why you are requesting the feedback. The email will contain a link to the feedback questionnaire which is linked directly to your assessment. This will allow the outcomes to be automatically included in your report.
After clicking the link, the recipient will be asked to enter their email address. This is the same email you entered to send the request for feedback. It’s important that this address is entered exactly in order to be recognised.
Every 7 days, the system will send out an automated reminder to the recipient. These reminder emails will continue to be sent until the recipient has completed the feedback, or the assessment is closed, or the recipient has declined to give feedback.
Go to your Dashboard and select the link towards the bottom of the page ‘Click here to download patient questionnaire’
This printed copy can then be distributed to patients, either by post or in person. Whatever method you use, please ensure the patient has instructions on how to return the questionnaire.
We recommend delegating the collection of patient feedback to an appropriate person, ensuring this feedback is treated confidentially and collected in way that protects the anonymity of the patient.
Deletion of patient details
Recipients may decline to give feedback. In these cases, the recipient has the option of contacting the ACP 360 team to advise they do not wish to participate. The ACP 360 team will delete their details from the system.
If you wish to remove details of contacts invited to provide feedback, please get in touch with the ACP 360 team. Note, we cannot delete genuine feedback responses already received.
Submitting patient feedback to ACP 360
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has introduced a hybrid model of work, where staff continue to work from home for part of the week, reducing opportunities to process questionnaires returned by post. We therefore recommend that consultants collect feedback from patients using the online method, where possible to do so. This is the most efficient means of collecting feedback and completing an assessment in a timely manner.
Alternatively, printed questionnaires can also be collated, scanned and returned to the ACP team by email – send to: ACP360@rcpsych.ac.uk
If neither of these options are possible we will of course continue to accept questionnaires returned by post. Copies should be retained of posted questionnaires until safe receipt is confirmed. Questionnaires can be returned individually or in bulk in a large envelope/package.
Please post to:
Confidential
ACP 360
The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Centre for Quality Improvement
21 Prescot Street
London, E1 8BB
If you are still struggling to collect and collate your patient feedback, please contact the ACP team for advice.