More choice to help cut hospital waiting times

More choice to help cut hospital waiting times Patients will be empowered to choose where they receive their NHS care under new plans to help cut waiting lists, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities.

A letter issued by the NHS today 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 up to five healthcare providers - filtered by distance, waiting times and quality of care. 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. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Poor workforce planning, not lack of patient choice, is stopping people being seen in good time BMA
• Steps to cut waiting lists welcome, but more NHS staff needed to deliver care NHS Providers
• Shop around on NHS app to shorten wait for treatment BBC News
• 'Patient Choice' Statement BBC News
• Patients to be offered faster treatment hundreds of miles away in bid to slash record waiting times The Daily Mail
• Patients to get choice of five hospitals under Sunak pledge The Daily Telegraph
• Government push on patient choice will drive up GP workload, warns BMA GPonline
• GPs to be compelled to offer patients private alternatives or non-local NHS options The Guardian
• Patients to choose between providers on NHS app after GP referral Pulse
• GPs will have to give patients options to travel further or go private to tackle NHS backlog Sky News