Your experience as a patient

The following organisations provide information that will help you make informed choices about your healthcare. Some provide opportunities to comment on and influence healthcare provision.

You may also like to see the Campaigns section of our website to find out how we works to improve stroke services locally.

For more information on your rights, see also Legal and financial support.

• Helping you understand your health and treatment
   

Medicine Guides
Provides unbiased information about UK-licensed medicines. Includes a section on stroke-related medications.

NHS Choices
Helps people make choices about their health, from the practical aspects of finding and using NHS services when you need them to making lifestyle decisions. You can use the ‘Compare hospitals’ feature to see how local NHS services manage stroke care.

NHS Choices Information Prescriptions
Allows you to create an ‘information prescription’: information about stroke that is tailored to meet your needs. The prescription tells you about your condition and your treatment options. It also provides information on benefits, care services, housing and local support groups.

Patient UK
Access to the high-quality information that doctors and nurses give to patients during consultations. Also provides information on support groups and has a separate section for carers.

Dr Foster
Dr Foster produces guides (including analyses of hospital performance) to help people compare health services in the public and private sectors. On the website you can access a hospital guide and a consultant guide, which you can use to access NHS or private services.

• Improving health services

The Board of Welsh Community Health Councils
Works to enhance and improve the quality of local health services in Wales. Provides free confidential help if you have a problem or complaint about NHS services in Wales.

Care Quality Commission
Regulates social care services, health services and mental health services in England. The website allows you to compare performance ratings for health services in your area. You can also access independent quality ratings on care homes and other care services.

PALS Online
Provides confidential information and advice to help resolve any concerns you may have about treatment within the NHS in England.

The Patients Association
Helpline: 0845 608 4455
Provides patients with information on how to get the best out of healthcare and provides an opportunity to share healthcare experiences – good or bad.

Patient Opinion
Allows you to tell other people online about your experiences as a patient. Also provides an opportunity to read about other people’s experiences.

• Your rights as a patient
   

Health Rights Information Scotland
Provides online information for patients in Scotland about their rights to NHS services, what they can expect from the NHS and how to resolve concerns about treatment and care.

Read our publications:
What is a stroke?
When a stroke happens