What does NHRA expect of patient experience, and how do you make yours world class?
NHRA makes Patient-Centered Care a core section of both its hospital and centre standards, and its 2026 consent policy requires information in a language and vocabulary the patient understands, with time for questions. A world-class facility goes further, answering every enquiry quickly in the patient's language, keeping consent and follow-up on one record and acting on what patients say.
What NHRA asks
Preserving patients' rights and patient safety is one of NHRA's three strategic goals.1 Patient-Centered Care is a core section of the hospital standards and of the centre standards, so every accredited facility is surveyed on it.2
The National Informed Consent Policy asks for clear, accurate information in a language and vocabulary the patient understands, with competent translators where needed, a real chance to ask questions and time to consult others before deciding. The witness must be someone other than the person doing the procedure, and a translator acts as the witness when one is used.3
From NHRA's floor to a world-class standard
| What NHRA asks | What a world-class facility adds |
|---|---|
| Information the patient understands | Every message answered in the language the patient wrote in, reviewed by your team |
| Time for questions before consent | The consent discussion written into the signed note, with the questions the patient asked |
| A complaints route to NHRA | A route inside the facility that patients use first, answered from the record |
| Records kept and protected | The patient's own record shared with them when they ask |
| Fees left to consumer protection | The price and the cancellation policy shown before the patient commits |
- Answer in the patient's language. Arabic, English or any other, on the day the enquiry arrives.
- Show the price first. The fee and the cancellation policy, before the patient books.
- Take consent properly. Information, questions and time, all recorded in the note.
- Follow up after the visit. Results, recalls and the next appointment, approved by a clinician.
- Hear every complaint. Log it, answer it from the record, and tell the patient what changed.
- Review it every quarter. Response times, complaints and their themes, reported to the director.
- Quarter ______ Reviewed by ______
- Median first reply time ______
- Enquiries answered in the patient's language ______
- Complaints received ______ Answered within ______
- Changes made ______
When patients complain
NHRA points complaints that are not about medical error to the facility's own management first, and fee or refund disputes to the Consumer Protection Directorate.4 A patient unhappy with what their record says may give the facility their comments and ask for them to be added, because the facility keeps the record.4 NHRA's Center of Excellence in Quality and Patient Safety designation recognises accredited facilities for their commitment to the highest quality, safe care.1
Questions
Is patient experience part of NHRA accreditation?
Yes, Patient-Centered Care is a core section of both the hospital and the centre standards.
Must consent be given in Arabic?
NHRA asks for information in a language and vocabulary the patient understands, with a competent translator where needed, who then acts as the witness.
How long is a signed consent valid?
Thirty days, unless it is withdrawn, the planned intervention changes or the patient's condition changes.
Sources
- 1National Health Regulatory Authority, 2026NHRA Accreditation Policy V3.0, issued 7 April 2026Read source
- 2National Health Regulatory Authority, 2026Tackling the Accreditation Process (4 years cycle), Accreditation & Quality GroupRead source
- 3National Health Regulatory Authority, 2026National Informed Consent Policy, issued 8 April 2026Read source
- 4National Health Regulatory Authority, 2026Medical Complaints & Investigation Section, complaints, incident reporting and FAQRead source
Written by the wai team from National Health Regulatory Authority guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. NHRA does not endorse wai or any software.