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Facebook Posts On NHS Could Spark Inspections

Facebook Posts On NHS Could Spark Inspections

Negative comments about NHS care which are posted on social media could be used to prompt investigations into hospitals.

The new chairman of England's health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, said complaints made on Facebook could be treated as "early intelligence" which indicates there are potential problems with the way patients are being treated.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Peter Wyman said he plans to overhaul the way inspections are carried out in England's hospitals - combining the likes of mortality data with anecdotal evidence.

He told the newspaper: "A lot of hospitals are using social media in different ways. There is great potential there to capture people's views.

"It could be what people are saying on Facebook, it could be formal patient complaints, it could be what (local patient groups) are saying.

"If you have got a maternity unit which was good when we last inspected and suddenly you get staff and the public saying they aren't happy, then that is the time to be asking questions, rather than waiting for something awful to happen to mothers and babies."

The CQC is responsible for inspecting hospitals, GPs and care homes - giving them Ofsted-style ratings.

However, the regulator has come under pressure from a 25% cut to its funding.

A few weeks ago, MPs demanded significant improvements amid claims the commission is behind on its inspection programme and failing to fulfil some of its duties.

Mr Wyman began his role as CQC chairman at the start of this year, and his previous experience includes five years as chairman of Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.