Patient Power Payments (PPPs) are a proposed NHS policy that would allow patients to influence whether a small proportion of provider funding is released or redirected to a fund for service improvements.
The scheme, first announced in the Ten Year Plan for Health, will be piloted in some gynaecology services during 2026/27.
We support efforts to strengthen patient voice, however, linking funding to patient feedback raises important questions about fairness, transparency and unintended consequences.
Our view
Patient experience should play a central role in improving care, but any payment system based on patient feedback must be designed carefully.
Key questions remain around how feedback will be collected, how funding decisions will work, how results will be reported, and how risks such as gaming or bias will be managed.
A robust and transparent evaluation of the pilot will be essential before wider rollout.
The briefing
Download and read our full analysis of Patient Power Payments and the key considerations for ensuring the approach improves care, while maintaining trust in patient feedback.