Which?: Constitution is welcome

Consumer watchdog Which? has welcomed proposals for an NHS constitution that the prime minister said will give patients greater power.

Gordon Brown announced in the Commons that a constitution would outline what patients can expect and what rights both staff and patients have.

"Patients tell us they don't complain because they don't think it will make a difference," said Which? health campaigner Clare Corbett.

"So hearing the prime minister commit to giving patients more of a say in how the NHS is run is certainly a step in the right direction."

She added: "Bad experiences in the softer aspects of care slow down recovery - things like cleanliness, food and the way staff treat patients.

"Let's hope these proposals really will 'put more power in the hands of patients', so that what is already a traumatic experience isn't made worse by sub-standard care."