What is ‘quality of life’ for patients?

Since 1998, the Department of Health (DH) has recognised that patients‘ needs are not always taken into account when care is planned and delivered (Standing Advisory Group on Consumer Involvement in the NHS Research and Development Programme, 1998). Patients’ needs and priorities can be complex and wide-ranging and may not be easily identified or measured. As well as therapeutic benefit, quality of life (QoL) outcomes associated with health care are often of importance to patients.