Exploring Patient Choice

New MORI research conducted for BUPA suggests that the general public and GPs welcome more healthcare choices to be given to NHS patients. The desired choices range from more provision of information, to being involved in the choice of a surgeon to perform an operation. The public lends most support to patients being able to choose in which hospital to have an operation (or being more involved in this choice), whereas GPs are most supportive of patients being provided with more information about their treatment.

There are concerns from both parties, though, about the consequences of extending patient choice. GPs and the public both feel that on balance GPs' workload will increase. GPs are also concerned about the standard of patient care. While most GPs (48%) feel the standard of care will remain unaltered, they are more inclined to believe patient care will get worse (28%) than improve (19%). The public are more positive about this; 46% feel that the standard of patient care will get better, while 17% believe it will get worse. Three in ten (29%) feel that it will stay the same.

• Patient Choice 65K, , 29 July -- 5 August 2003

Technical details

General Public

• 2,057 interviews in Great Britain among adults aged 15 and over
• 31 July -- 5 August 2003
• Face-to-face, in home
• Weighted to known population profile

GPs

• 104 interviews in Great Britain
• 29 July -- 1 August 2003
• Face-to-face
• Data unweighted