Choice: rhetoric and reality: Introducing patient choice in the NHS

摘要

Whilst universal patient choice might be a policy aim due to capacity constraints it is unattainable in practice. It is likely that there will be more patient choice in the NHS than previously, but less than that which the term 'universal' might imply. If patient choice is to succeed in informing health care decisions and driving up quality and improving responsiveness, better means of informing patients will need to be identified and implemented. Patients will need to be empowered to utilise their choices. Anew relationship between clinicians and patients will need to be forged - the aim is to reach a point of providing high quality information to empower patients to make informed choices about high quality health care. The effect of patient choice on equity is likely to turn on the details of implementation. It remains to be seen if patient choice will be the poisoned chalice its detractors predicted or the lauded solution promised by its advocates.