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Report of the National Patient Choice Survey, England - January 2007

This report gives the final results of 73,000 responses to the fifth national patient choice survey commissioned to assess the implementation of choice at PCT level.  The series of surveys, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Department, monitor patient awareness of choice and recall of having been offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment.  They were designed to provide a national overview of choice and summary results at PCT level.

The main findings of the January survey are:

• The percentages of patients aware of choice, offered choice and offered the Choice booklet continues to rise.
• More patients recalled being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment: 45% in January, up from 41% in the November survey and 30% in the first (May/June) survey.
• 36% of patients were aware before they visited their GP that they had a choice of hospitals for their first appointment, up from 35% in November and 29% in the May/June survey.
• 64% of patients who were aware of choice recalled being offered choice, whereas 34% of those not aware of choice recalled being offered it, compared with 60% and 31% respectively in the November survey.
• 32% of patients who were offered a choice of hospital were also offered a copy of the ‘Choosing your hospital’ booklet, up from 28% in November and 20% in the May/June survey.
• 79% of patients who were offered choice were satisfied with the process and 5% were dissatisfied, similar to the November survey.
• Location or transport considerations were again given most often, by 64% of patients, as an important factor when choosing a hospital.

• Download report of the National Patient Choice Survey, England - January 2007 (PDF, 847K)