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Enabling choice

  • Last modified date:
    16 July 2008

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Free choice

Logo: Whatever your reason, it's your right to choose

From April 2008, if your GP advises you that you need to see a specialist, you can choose to go to any hospital in England, including many private and independent sector hospitals. You can choose the hospital with the best reputation or shortest waiting times, or simply the one that is most convenient for you. (You may not be given a choice when referred to mental health services or where speed of access is important, such as suspected stroke, heart attack or cancer).

For more information about your choices , ask your GP or visit NHS Choices.

Extending choice to new areas

photograph of doctor and patient looking at a computer

People expect and want greater control over their care and more personalised services, not just of elective care is key to them achieving this.  Since 1 April 2008, all patients requiring an elective referral can choose services from any hospital provider that meets NHS standards and costs.  But we are extending choice into other services, including long term conditions, end of life care, maternity and mental health.

Choice and long term conditions

photograph of two people at a reception desk

 For people with long-term conditions, the offer of choice is particularly pertinent, namely:

 - enabling individual users to identify their specific needs and desired outcomes  and agree the support and care arrangements to meet these through the personalised care
 - planning process and agreed care plans supporting and enabling individuals to self care
 - choices around supported living for those with more complex or social care needs to maintain independence.

Coronary heart disease choice

From April 2005, CHD choice has been extended to offer all patients, requiring a coronary artery bypass graft, angioplasty or a heart valve operation, a choice of hospital at the point of referral by the cardiologist.

Choice and maternity

photograph of two women with a child receiving information at a reception desk

“Maternity Matters: choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service” was published in 2007 for commissioners, service providers and other organisations involved in the provision of maternity services.  It builds on the maternity services commitment outlined in Our Health, Our Care, Our Say and is an important step towards meeting the maternity standard set out in the Children’s NSF.

Maternity Matters highlights the Government commitment to developing a high quality, safe and accessible maternity service through the introduction of a new national choice guarantee for women.  This will ensure that by the end of 2009, all women will have choice around the type of care that they receive, together with improved access to services and continuity of midwifery care and support.

Choice and end of life care

photograph of two women with booklets and posters

The Government is committed to improving care and people’s choices at the end of life, regardless of their condition or their location. We are taking this work forward through the development of a national end of life care strategy for adults, this country’s first.

End of life care is also one of the eight pathways the strategic health authorities are examining as they produce the reports that will help shape the NHS Next Stage Review. We have deferred publication of the national strategy to allow us to take account of the important work of the SHAs on the Next Stage Review.

Choice and mental health

photograph of a group of people in a waiting room

National consultations on choice in mental health suggest that patients have a positive perception of choice and the benefits it can offer.

Choice of GP

photograph of two people consulting a notebook

Choice in primary care has always existed to large degree and what we are trying to do now is ensure that patients are aware that they have the right to choose where they receive services that best fit their lives.

Cataract choice guidance

Guidance on implementing cataract choice from January 2005.

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