John’s Campaign was launched in the Observer in November 2014 after the death of Dr John Gerrard. The aim of the campaign is to give the carers of those living with dementia the right to stay with them in hospital, in the same way that parents stay with their sick children – a campaign also supported by The Observer 50 years ago.
There is already good practice within individual hospitals and we celebrate this. Nevertheless, access to a vulnerable patient should not depend on geographical location or individual decisions. The list below will remain open until November 2016 and the campaign challenges all acute hospital trusts to make the small but significant commitment to ensure that they are included. Already 100 have pledged to take part.
If you want to share a story about your own experience of hospital care, you can do that via the Patient Opinion website.
Dr James Munro, CEO of Patient Opinion, adds: “Patients and carers have traditionally been seen as a burden on the NHS, instead of a source of insight, energy and motivation for change. At Patient Opinion our mission is to change that by carrying the experiences of patients and carers into the NHS in ways which make a visible difference. For every story shared on Patient Opinion, you can see whether the local health service is listening, responding or acting on what is said. Now, with tens of thousands of stories shared and hundreds of NHS organisations listening, we are starting to see real change, not just in services but in culture too. We’re supporting John’s Campaign because it is a perfect example of how one person’s story can speak for many – and with a simple change, can help make a better health service for everyone.”
