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Publications and guidance

  • Last modified date:
    18 November 2008

This is a list of the key documents that the Choice and Choose & Book teams have published in the last five years.  There are links to other important documents, published by other teams, that are particularly relevant to Choice/Choose & Book.

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Patients' prospectus for long term conditions (November 2008)

In January 2008, he Prime Minister made a commitment that:
‘During 2008 we will bring forward a patients’ prospectus that sets out how we will extend to all fifteen million patients with a chronic or long term condition access to a choice of ‘active patient’ or ‘care at home’ options - clinically appropriate to them and supported by the NHS.’

Free choice documents

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 the NHS Choices website.

Choice Matters - working with libraries (2008)

An update on the implementation of patient choice in the NHS focusing on the work that has been done with library staff.

Generic choice model for long term conditions (2007)

The generic model helps commissioners understand the process and range of services needed to be commissioned, to improve and personalise services and support people with long term conditions. The model, developed in conjunction with a number of patient organisations, provides good practice examples, and aims to reduce inequalities.

Choice Matters

Updates on the implementation of patient choice in the NHS since it was introduced at the start of 2006, focusing on the experiences of patients and NHS staff.

Choose and Book: patients' choice of hospital and booked appointment (2004)

Policy and delivery frameworks for the implementation of choice of hospital and booked appointments by December 2005.

Patient choice survey

A series of national patient choice surveys monitors patient awareness of choice and recall of having been offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment.

Health reform in England: update and commissioning framework  (2006)

This document set out a framework detailing key changes designed to strengthen commissioning and ensure commissioning drives health reform, improved health and healthcare, and improved financial health for the NHS.

White Paper: Our health, our care, our say (2006)

This White Paper set a new direction for the whole health and social care system. There will be a radical and sustained shift in the way in which services are delivered, ensuring that they are more personalised and that they fit into people's busy lives. We will give people a stronger voice so that they are the major drivers of service improvement.

Supporting people with long term conditions (2005)

The NHS and social care model is a blueprint to support local NHS and social care organisations in improving local services for people with long term conditions. It draws on existing successes and innovations from the NHS and social care and international experience to help local health communities to develop a more integrated and systematic approach.

Creating a patient-led NHS (2005)

This document explains how the NHS Improvement Plan will be delivered. It describes the major changes underway and how some of the biggest changes will be carried forward for a patient-led health service.

Better information, better choices, better health (2004)

This strategy is a three year programme of action, at both national and local level, to improve access for all to the quality general and personalised information people need and want to exercise choices about their personal health and healthcare.

Building on the best (2003)

This strategy paper sets out how the Government will make NHS services more responsive to patients, by offering more choice across the spectrum of healthcare. Its main aim is to improve patient and user experience and build new partnerships between those who use health and social care and those who work in them.

Choice at 6 months

Choice at 6 Months was introduced on a phased basis from April 2004, with full implementation from August 2004. The main objectives of the policy were to help achieve the 6-month maximum in-patient wait and, in the meantime, to provide the opportunity of faster treatment for the longest waiters.

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