National Patient Choice Survey, Wave 5

Since the beginning of 2006, patients have been entitled to a choice of four or more hospitals when referred by their GP. The Department of Health commissioned Ipsos to undertake a regular postal survey assessing the implementation of this policy.

The results of the first five surveys indicate that most eligible patients are not receiving any choice of hospital provider, despite government exhortations -- although the proportion being offered a choice has improved with each wave of research, from 30% in May / June 2006 to 45% in January 2007.

The results of the first wave relate to referrals made in May / June 2006 (78,777 responses), the results of the second wave for referrals made in July 2006 (70,084 responses), for the third for referrals made in September 2006 (70,580 responses), for the fourth for referrals made in November 2006 (56,928 responses) and for the fifth for referrals made in January 2007 (73,000 responses). The January 2007 survey obtained a response rate of 32%.

The main findings of the January survey are:

• More patients recalled being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment: 45% compared with 41% in the November survey.
• Slightly more patients were aware before they visited their GP that they had a choice of hospitals for their first appointment: 36% compared with 35% in November.
• 64% of patients who were aware of choice recalled being offered choice, whereas 34% of those not aware of choice recalled being offered it, compared with 60% and 31% respectively in the November survey.
• 32% of patients who were offered a choice of hospital were also offered a copy of the 'Choosing your hospital' booklet, compared with 28% in the November survey.
• 79% of patients who were offered choice were satisfied with the process and 5% were dissatisfied, similar to the November survey.
• Location or transport considerations were again given most often, by 64% of patients, as an important factor when choosing a hospital.

The results of each wave relate to a two-week referral window:

• Results for Wave 1 based on 78,777 respondents.
• Results for Wave 2 based on 70,084 respondents.
• Results for Wave 3 based on 70,580 respondents.
• Results for Wave 4 based on 56,928 respondents.
• Results for Wave 5 based on 73,000 respondents.

Topline Results

• Fieldwork carried out by postal questionnaire among patients referred in the last two weeks of May 2006 for Wave 1, the last two weeks of July 2006 for Wave 2, the last two weeks of September 2006 for Wave 3, the last two weeks of November 2006 for Wave 4, and the last two weeks of January 2007 for Wave 5.
• Where results do not sum to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses, or to the exclusion of don't knows or non-responses.
• An asterisk (*) indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero.
• Results are weighted.
• Base: All unless otherwise stated.

Q1 Before you visited your GP, did you know that you now have a choice of hospitals that you can go to for your first hospital appointment?

Q2 Were you offered a choice of hospital for your first hospital appointment?

Q3 Were you offered a copy of the Choosing Your Hospital booklet by your GP Practice? Base: All who were offered a choice of hospital

Q4 Which of the following best describes how you felt about the process of choosing your hospital? Base: All who were offered a choice of hospital

Q5 Which three factors, if any, would be most important to you when choosing a hospital? Top 9 factors

Q6 Do you have any comments about your experience of arranging a hospital appointment? Top 8 factors