It was a single question survey which asked patients whether they would recommend the NHS service they have received to friends and family who need similar treatment or care.
[2] Publication of the first results in September 2013, based on small numbers of responses, brought complaints that the test was giving a false picture.
[9][10][11] In February 2014 Dr Neil Bacon, chief executive of iWantGreatCare, denounced the implementation of the test, in particular NHS England’s refusal to enforce standardisation of methodology to ensure the data could be trusted and truly competitive.
[12] Research for the Care Quality Commission carried out by the Picker Institute in 2012 concluded that the test was “not appropriate for use in an NHS setting”.
From December 2014 the test was rolled out to GP practices, and from January 2015, to mental health and community services.
[15] The Guardian published an account from a patient who had suffered a miscarriage and described the use of text messaging in respect of the test as "crass and inappropriate".