Experience of Care Week 2026
Experience of Care Week takes place between 27 April – 1 May 2026, and this year’s theme - Building the Foundations of Experience - highlights how every interaction, in every role, shapes the experience of care for patients, families and colleagues.
Patient experience is at the heart of quality care. It is shaped by the perceptions of our patients, their carers and families throughout their healthcare journey, from the first appointment to discharge and beyond.
Everyone involved in this journey, across every service and department, plays a part in creating an environment where care is compassionate, responsive and person-centred.
By listening carefully and reflecting on real experiences, we can better understand what matters most to those we care for. Patient feedback - whether good or poor - provides valuable insight into how we can deliver, improve and design our services to best meet people’s needs.
Head of Patient Experience Katherine Holland says:
"Patients, carers, relatives and communities hold great knowledge and experience from which we can learn. We gather feedback from many different channels, including national surveys, the Friends and Family Test, and comments, concerns and compliments via our PALS team.
She adds: "Feedback also helps us prioritise what’s important, allowing us to enhance the quality of care, strengthen accountability and build lasting trust within our communities."
During Experience of Care Week, we celebrate the many ways that colleagues and teams across our hospitals make a difference, from clinical innovation and rehabilitation to thoughtful communication, empathy and support in everyday moments.
You can read real patient experiences and stories shared by people who have received care across our hospitals. These stories help us learn, inspire improvement and recognise the compassion of our staff.