4iP and Screen Yorkshire invest in Patient Opinion (03/06/2010)
4iP, Channel 4's digital investment fund announce a joint investment in Patient Opinion with Screen Yorkshire. Patient Opinion is an online platform where the public can give their thoughts, comments and feedback on local hospitals, Doctors surgeries and health provision direct to the relevant NHS Trust. With almost a million page views each month, Patient Opinion has already demonstrated the public's desire to their share feedback not just with other patients but also the decision makers in the NHS who can actually make a difference. And with all the main political parties promising patients greater choice of NHS treatment centres the ability to get accurate information about how treatment can vary in different locations is becoming ever more important.The joint investment by 4iP and Screen Yorkshire, will enable Patient Opinion to build its brand and increase market share to become the online destination for independent patient feedback and informed choice. Over the next twelve months the funding will be used to review the brand and user interface as well as launch a high profile national marketing campaign aimed at raising user awareness in the most cost-effective way. Patient Opinion headquarters are based in Sheffield and the company was established by Sheffield GP Paul Hodgkin.
For more about 4iP go to http://www.screenyorkshire.co.uk/funding/4ip
Tom Loosemore, Head of 4iP said: "A key ambition of 4iP is to provide tools for the public to hold power to account and improve people's lives and Patient Opinion is an innovative and effective way of doing this. Channel 4 has a history of bringing public health issues to national attention with ground-breaking programmes such as One Born Every Minute, Embarrassing Bodies and Surgery Live and this new investment complements our existing strengths perfectly."
Sally Joynson Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire said: "Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship is at the heart of Screen Yorkshire's role and some of our 4iP investments such as Patient Opinion may also significantly improve the UK's public services. Patient Opinion comes at a critical time for the health service and we are delighted this project originates from, and is based in, Yorkshire and Humber."
Paul Hodgkin, Chief Executive of Patient Opinion, said: "We have published over 20,000 stories on Patient Opinion so far which have directly resulted in a number of improvements to services. In simple terms, the more people who use the site, the more improvements will be made.
"4iP and Screen Yorkshire are exciting funding partners for us as they can offer us not only the opportunity for growth, but also the power to drive more people to become involved in the service we provide."
