Patients will be given more choice and greater control over their own care, including through the NHS App.
The pandemic has had a huge impact on the NHS and our ability to access healthcare, which is why the Prime Minister made cutting waiting lists one of his 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.
Currently just one in ten patients exercise their right to choose but research shows that giving patients choice can cut up to three months off their waiting time by selecting a different hospital in the same region.
During the pandemic, millions of people downloaded the NHS App to access services including the NHS COVID Pass. The plans announced today will expand the way that the NHS App and website are used to improve how patients choose to receive their care. Newly updated software to IT systems will also make the process easier for GPs when referring patients for treatment.
Patients already on waiting lists will also benefit as, from October, those who have waited more than 40 weeks for an appointment but have not yet been given a treatment date, will be asked whether they want to switch hospitals, including one with a shorter wait, if possible and clinically appropriate. This builds on existing NHS ‘mutual aid’ arrangements between hospital trusts.
As the NHS continues to make progress in tackling the backlog, this threshold could be reduced over time, based on clinical advice, towards 18 weeks as fast as possible.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:
Empowering patients to choose where they receive treatment will help cut waiting lists, one of my five key priorities.
Currently, just one in ten patients make a choice about where they receive care. We want to change that by helping the NHS to offer patients a real choice while also giving patients the information they need to decide.
Our aim is to create an NHS built around patients, where everyone has more control over the care they receive, wherever they live or whatever their health needs are
Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex, Mims Davies, said:
Millions of people downloaded the NHS App during the pandemic. Increasing use of this fantastic resource will enable them to exercise more choice and get access to essential information about the options for their care including journey time, length of wait and quality of service – all at the swipe of a smartphone screen.
This will not only give patients more control over their own care but could also wipe months off their wait by finding a hospital or clinic with a shorter waiting list. I know the people of Mid Sussex will welcome this news.
Read more about the plans.