Celebrating Six Years of Care Opinion in Northern Ireland

Celebrating Six Years of Care Opinion in Northern Ireland

On 3 August 2026, Care Opinion in Northern Ireland celebrates its sixth birthday. What began as a new way for people to share their experiences of Health and Social Care has grown into a powerful platform for listening, learning and improving services. Six years on, there is much to celebrate

Since launching on 3 August 2020, Care Opinion has helped create a culture where people’s voices matter. Patients, service users, carers and families have been empowered to share their experiences openly, while services have been encouraged to respond, learn and improve. The result is a stronger connection between the public and Health and Social Care services across Northern Ireland.

Over the first five years, an incredible 27,958 stories were published on Care Opinion. Of these, almost 20,000 were shared directly by patients, family members, carers and members of the public. Every story represents a person taking the time to share an experience, whether positive, challenging or somewhere in between. Each one provides an opportunity to learn.

The growth of the platform has been remarkable. Annual story numbers increased from just over 1,000 in the launch year to more than 6,100 in 2024/25. During 2025/26, a further 6,727 stories were shared, exceeding the regional target and demonstrating that more people than ever are using Care Opinion as a trusted way to tell their story.

Listening is only one part of the story. Responding is equally important. Across the first five years, 98% of stories received a response, with 73% receiving a response within seven days. Thousands of staff have engaged with the platform to ensure people know their feedback has been heard. During 2025/26 alone, services provided more than 7,000 responses to stories across Northern Ireland.

Care Opinion has also become an important tool for learning and improvement. Over five years, stories relating to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland have been read more than 4.2 million times by staff and stakeholders. Around 5,788 stories have been analysed and discussed at regional forums, helping to influence decisions, identify trends and support service development. Responders have also recorded service improvements, with 327 changes made and 262 more planned as a direct result of feedback shared by the public.

A particular achievement has been the commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Innovative approaches such as Picture Tiles have supported people with cognitive impairment to share their experiences, while sign language initiatives have enabled Deaf communities to participate fully. This work has helped ensure that more voices can be heard, regardless of communication needs.

As we celebrate six years of Care Opinion in Northern Ireland, we want to thank every person who has shared a story, every member of staff who has responded, and every organisation that has embraced learning from feedback. Together, they have helped create a culture of openness, transparency and improvement.

The success of Care Opinion is not measured only in numbers. It is measured in conversations started, lessons learned, and improvements made. Most importantly, it is measured in the voices of people who know that their experiences matter.

Happy 6th Birthday, Care Opinion Northern Ireland — and here's to the next chapter of listening, learning and improving together. 🎉