Patients undergoing four common elective procedures on the NHS are reporting significant health gains, according to annual data garnered from patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

The PROMs Programme began in 2009, with patients asked to complete a questionnaire before and after their operation to demonstrate what benefits were delivered and whether they had any surgical complications.

The move came as part of a wider strategy to give patients more influence over NHS resources and more power to drive improvements, as well as strengthen commissioning.

Patients are asked to report on their outcomes at three months after groin hernia and varicose vein surgery, and six months after hip and knee replacements.

In 2014/15, a total of 267,046 PROMs-eligible procedures were carried out, and the findings show that most patients reported improvements to health following their surgery: 96.4 percent of those with hip replacement; 93.2 percent with a knee replacement; 82.3 percent of those who had varicose vein surgery; and 49.9 percent of those who underwent groin repair surgery.

The data also reveal that between one in five and one in three patients report at least one post-surgical problem, depending on the condition: 27.5 percent of patients responding after a hip replacement; 31.7 percent of knee replacement patients; 20.7 percent of groin hernia patients; and 22.7 percent of varicose vein patients.

"The PROMs programme provides hugely valuable insight into the care the NHS provides," said Dan Wellings, head of Insight & Feedback at NHS England. "Trusts and CCGs can use it to understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve."