4iP AND SCREEN YORKSHIRE INVEST IN PATIENT OPINION: 03 JUNE 2010
4iP, Channel 4’s digital investment fund, and Screen Yorkshire, the regional screen agency for Yorkshire and Humber, today announce a joint investment in Patient Opinion.
Patient Opinion (www.patientopinion.org.uk) 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.
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.”
Contact: Victoria Powell, Channel 4: 020 7306 3636, vpowell@channel4.co.uk
Or Rachel McWatt, Screen Yorkshire: 0113 236 8224, Rachel@screenyorkshire.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About 4iP
4iP (4 Innovation for the Public) is Channel 4’s digital investment fund that aims to deliver
publicly valuable content and services on digital media platforms – this means investing in
great ideas for websites, games and mobile services which help people improve their lives.
The 4iP fund forms part of Channel 4’s Next on 4 strategic blueprint, which outlines the
ambitious public role the Group believes it can fulfil in the fully digital media sector of the future, and is a collaboration between Channel 4 and a series of regional development agencies and funding partners around the UK. With over 1,500 ideas submitted since its launch last year, 4iP will be investing up to ?50m over the next three years and has set up commissioning hubs in Scotland, Yorkshire and the West Midlands.
Over the next few months 4iP will publish calls for proposals across a range of themes. Each theme will be aligned with some of Channel 4’s key programming and audience strengths and
the current theme is positive body image. 4iP wants bold, ambitious ideas for websites, apps and games about positive body image. Think: edgy, risky, straight-talking, provocative and above all FUN.
About Screen Yorkshire
Screen Yorkshire is the regional screen agency responsible for inspiring, promoting and supporting a successful and sustainable film, television, games and interactive media sector in Yorkshire and Humber. Our aim is to grow the screen media industries in Yorkshire and Humber by helping businesses to compete in a fast-changing global marketplace. Screen Yorkshire offers a variety of funding and support initiatives to screen media companies based in the region, supported by its two key partners, Yorkshire Forward and the UK Film Council. Alongside support for regional companies, Screen Yorkshire works nationally and internationally to attract inward investment and simulate the economic growth of the industry in the region. Since the launch of its ?10.2m Digital Media Content Programme in 2006, Screen Yorkshire has attracted over ?70 million inward investment to the region’s economy,
created 824 jobs, supported 805 businesses and invested in the skills of 1457 individuals. For further information, visit: www.screenyorkshire.co.uk