Patient choice in healthcare – your right to choose
As an NHS patient you have a legal right to choose your hospital.
Did you know you have the right to choose where to have your NHS surgery?
If you or a loved one needs to see an NHS specialist, you can choose to access any hospital or treatment centre in England. You could even switch hospitals, having already been referred somewhere, if you are waiting for too long. This patient choice is a legal right for NHS patients.
What is patient choice in healthcare?
Patient choice in health and social care is the legal right of a patient to choose where they receive their treatment. In other words, if you need to be referred due to a mental or physical health condition, you have the legal right to choose which hospital or service you’d like to attend.
Can a patient choose where to be treated?
It is a patient’s legal right to choose where they receive their healthcare. Patients should be offered a choice of hospitals and services by their GP. This can include private hospitals. One of the main reasons that patients may ask to switch hospitals is waiting times. If their closest hospital waiting list is unsatisfactory, they can switch to a different one. Patients can ask to be referred to a different hospital if they have to wait longer than 18 weeks for non-urgent treatment.
Do patients have the right to choose their treatment?
According to the NHS constitution, patients have the right to choose their GP surgery and make choices about their health and care. Patients can also choose the organisation that provides their integrated care. They also have the choice of when they want to start their hospital treatment.
Why is patient choice important?
Patient choice is important because it gives you choice and control over your health and the decisions related to your treatment. The freedom to make an informed decision, and select the right choice for our individual needs, is important to a patient’s experience and recovery; both these things are better when we feel confident and comfortable with where we receive treatment.
NHS treatment is still free, regardless of where you chose to receive it
You can base your decision on the things that matter most to you
How long you’ll have to wait for treatment is an important factor
CQC ratings and patient feedback can give you a good gauge of a hospital’s quality
Promoting choice in health and social care can prove beneficial to both patients and resources.
First, patients benefit from understanding the care and support that’s available to them. This control over their healthcare can improve both mental and financial wellbeing.
Enabling choice also benefits healthcare professionals. Involving patients in decisions around their care helps to correctly allocate resources. This can subsequently alleviate the pressures on hospitals and services.
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I was particularly pleased with how well-mannered and attentive everyone was. I had my hip replacement operation at 11.30am and when I came out of surgery, a meal was waiting for me. I was told that if my blood test looked good and the surgeon was happy with me when he saw me at 5pm I could go home that night, and that’s what happened. It was seamless.
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Appointments staff exceedingly courteous and helpful getting both my elderly parents booked in for appointments on the same day and directly after each other, for eye surgery.
