Choosing where you receive NHS care
Patients will be empowered to choose where they receive their NHS care under new plans to cut waiting lists, one of the Prime Minister’s 5 priorities. People will be given more choice and control over their own care, including through the NHS App.
A letter issued by the NHS to local areas will require patients to be offered choice when clinically appropriate. After speaking with their GP, patients will be able to view information for a minimum of 5 providers where possible, with information about waiting times, distance to travel and quality to help them make their choice. They will then be able to make a choice about where they go for treatment using the NHS App or website, based on their own circumstances.
The right to choose has been available for some time, but currently just 1 in 10 patients exercise that right. Research shows that giving patients choice can cut up to 3 months off their waiting time by selecting a different hospital in the same region.
