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

  • Document type:
    Statistics
  • Author:
    Department of Health
  • Published date:
    4 February 2008
  • Primary audience:
    Allied health professionals, Health and social care professionals
  • Publication format:
    A4 electronic only
  • Gateway reference:
    Not required
  • Pages:
    23
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown

This report gives the final results of around 92,000 responses to the ninth 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 September survey are:
 
  • There was a slight recovery in the percentage of patients recalling being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment: 45% in September, up from 43% in July but still below 48% in the March 2007 survey.
  • 39% of patients were aware before they visited their GP that they had a choice of hospitals for their first appointment, up from 38% in July and 29% in the May/June 2006 survey.
  • 64% of patients who were aware of choice recalled being offered choice, whereas 32% of those not aware of choice recalled being offered it, compared with 63% and 32% respectively in the July survey.
  • 79% of patients who were offered choice were satisfied with the process and 5% were dissatisfied, similar to the July survey.
  • Location or transport considerations were given most often, by 65% of patients, as an important factor when choosing a hospital.

Provisional headline findings of the November 2007 survey are:

  • 44% of patients recalled being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment, compared with 45% in the September survey.
  • 41% of patients were aware before they visited their GP that they had a choice of hospitals for their first appointment, up from 39% in September.
  • 60% of patients who were aware of choice recalled being offered choice, whereas 31% of those not aware of choice recalled being offered it, compared with 64% and 32% respectively in the September survey.

Provisional result of an additional question:

  • 66% of patients said they were able to go to the hospital they wanted, with a further 23% having no preference.

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