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 21 August 2008 21:02 BST

Health groups welcome increased patient control

Friday, 04 Jul 2008 08:00
Patients will be given more say over their care

Health In Focus 

Plans announced by the Department of Health (DoH) to increase patient choice have been described as "good news for patients" by health representatives.

The new strategy is designed to give patients and the public more say over their healthcare.

Under the strategy the GP patient survey will be extended to encourage patient feedback and people will be offered a greater choice in who their GP is.

Patients will be able to register online and have a greater range of options for consulting with their GP, for example by telephone or email.

They will also be given access to a new secure web-based system called 'myhealthspace', which will allow people to access and update their personal care record, to share information with their care team, book appointments and order repeat prescriptions.

Personalised care plans are to be given to everyone with long-term conditions, as well as a care co-ordinator for those with complex needs, by 2010.

And individual health budgets will be piloted to allow patients to have greater control over how NHS funding is used to support their care.

The government also wants to see a wider range of community based services such as minor ailments services and health checks in high-street pharmacies and walk-in services.

Health services minister Ben Bradshaw said the plans were developed as people have told the government "they want to be more involved in decisions about their health care and that primary and community care should be more individual, convenient and joined up".

"Change will only come from listening more closely to what users tell us, responding to that and giving them more choice and say over their health care," he added.

"Our vision for primary care will protect the highly popular and effective system of registering with a local GP, but give family doctors a stronger role in working with other clinicians, local authorities and other organisations to provide the right services, in the right place and at the right time to meet individual needs."

Bryan Stoten, chair of the NHS Confederation, which represents over 95 per cent of NHS organisations, said the plans put the public "right at the heart of a responsive and personalised NHS".

"This strategy presents opportunities for partners across primary care to work together to improve patient care and this is something that clinicians will be keen to engage with," he added.

The British Medical Association (BMA) also welcomed the strategy, describing it is "positive".

"Many of the ideas, such as personal plans for all patients, faster and simpler access to a wider range of community-based services and early intervention to improve the long-term outcomes for patients, are good and welcome," said Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GP committee.

"We particularly welcome the statement that 'changes will be driven not through top-down targets but by giving responsibility to the staff at local level'."
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