Plans to improve patient choice

The plans aim to give patients more choice

Patients in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are to be given a choice on when and where they have an operation under newly unveiled plans.

The regional Strategic Health Authority (SHA) said this week that the scheme could be brought in by December 2005.

At present, if a patient needs an operation, the patient's doctor will usually decide on which local hospital to use.

Under the new "Patient Choice" system the patient will be given a choice of four or five hospitals (including hospitals across the UK) and a list of possible dates.

The patient will then be able to choose the time and the place of treatment.

Patients will have far greater involvement and control over their own care and greater certainty over when they will be treated Carole Taylor Brown SHA

The SHA says that since October 2002 more than 3,600 patients taking part in the London Patient Choice Project have "taken up the opportunity to go to another hospital for faster treatment".

Carole Taylor Brown, director of corporate development at Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA, said: "A modern health service needs to become more responsive to the needs of patients and choice will do just that.

"Patients will have far greater involvement and control over their own care and greater certainty over when they will be treated."

The plans were outlined at a meeting of the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA on Thursday.