Putting the patient first
The NHS and all who work for it must adopt and demonstrate a shared culture in which the patient is the priority in everything done. This requires: A common set of core values and standards shared throughout the system; Leadership at all levels from ward to the top of the Department of Health, committed to and capable of involving all staff with those values and standards; A system which recognises and applies the values of transparency, honesty and candour; Freely available, useful, reliable and full information on attainment of the values and standards; A tool or methodology such as a cultural barometer to measure the cultural health of all parts of the system.
How was this assessed?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" in March 2013. Key reforms included a new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, strengthened Care Quality Commission inspection regime, a statutory duty of candour, and the fit and proper person test for NHS directors. Volume 2 (Cm 8754) contains the government's detailed responses to each of the 290 recommendations. See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cd486ed915d63cc65d167/34658_Cm_8777_Vol_1_accessible.pdf
Published Evidence
Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
The NHS Constitution was updated and values of transparency, honesty and candour were formally embedded. Duty of candour became law. Freedom to Speak Up Guardians were created. However, Francis himself said in February 2023 (10th anniversary) that NHS culture 'has not changed very much' and described the current NHS crisis as 'the Mid Staffordshire scandal playing out on a national level.' Subsequent scandals at Shrewsbury and Telford, East Kent, Nottingham, and the Countess of Chester (Lucy Letby) demonstrated persistent culture failures.
View detailed findings
Structural reforms in place but the deep cultural change Francis called for remains inconsistent. Francis himself assessed in 2023 that insufficient progress had been made on the fundamental culture shift.
DHSC published findings of call for evidence on statutory duty of candour. 261 responses received. Key finding: 52% of respondents said CQC had not adequately enforced the duty. Many reported it had become a "tick-box exercise". Only 40% thought the purpose was clear and well understood. Final government response still pending.
Research published 2023 marking ten years since the Francis Report found mixed results. Structural and legislative changes largely delivered (duty of candour, FPPR, CQC overhaul, revalidation, Freedom to Speak Up Guardians). However, cultural change not fully embedded; understaffing, fear of speaking up, and poor complaint handling persist in parts of the NHS.
Government published "Culture Change in the NHS" (Cm 9009) reporting progress on all 290 recommendations. Key achievements: 19 hospitals placed in special measures; those trusts recruited 109 additional doctors and 1,805 additional nurses; 129 board-level changes made; excess avoidable deaths fell by 450 in less than a year.
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 20: statutory duty of candour came into force for NHS trusts November 2014, extended to all CQC-registered providers April 2015. Requires providers to notify patients/families of notifiable safety incidents and apologise.
Government published "Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) in two volumes. Vol 1 set out new actions; Vol 2 provided detailed response to each of the 290 recommendations. Approximately 204 of 290 recommendations were fully accepted.