Patient Choice - DOH 02/06/06
12/06/2006
Health Minister Andy Burnham today (2nd June 2006) welcomed the extension of patient choice across the NHS.
Mr Burnham was officially launching the extended choice network - a new extended list of hospitals and clinics that NHS patients can choose from when referred for treatment by their GP. Since 1 January this year, NHS patients have had the right to choose from a list of at least four providers when they need hospital treatment. But now, that choice has been extended nationally to include NHS Foundation Trusts and, over the next few months, independent sector treatment centres. With dozens more hospitals and clinics to choose from, patients will have even more control over when and where they can get their treatment.
Andy Burnham said:
"Since the beginning of the year NHS patients have been given the kind of choices only previously available to those who could afford it. We are at last putting patients in control and creating a health service where care is provided to their convenience and not the health provider".
"Society is changing, and so are people's lifestyles. We commute more, live further from our families and work different hours. We want and expect convenient services that are tailored to the lives we live. We know that NHS staff want to provide services that meet people's needs too, but untilnow have been hampered by a centrally run health system that hasn't always let them put their patient's first".
"We want to see patients increasingly having the right to choose where to go if they need treatment or care - nobody should have to accept a 'get what you're given' culture."
The Department of Health also today published an update report on patient choice, highlighting patient and clinician experience since the introduction of choice at referral on 1st January.
Mr Burnham said:
"This report shows that patients value being able to choose where to go for their treatment, and the convenience of choosing the time and date of their appointment".
"The report also presents feedback from GPs who have told us that choice has helped deliver improved dialogue with patients. It also clearly indicates the positive impact that the Choose and Book service is having on patients, doctors and the NHS as a whole. GPs have even helped us develop an updated version of Choose and Book".
To assist the Department of Health with the future development of choice policy, Mr Burnham also today announced that Dr. Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of Council, Royal College of GPs, along with David Pink, Chief Executive of the Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance, will co-chair independent reference group for patient choice drawn from a variety of stakeholder organisations. Its role will be to bring a wider perspective to policy development |