Government announces ‘new choice’ website for NHS

The government has announced plans to launch a new website aimed at consolidating available information on treatment centres and hospitals in order to empower patients and enable them to make a better informed choice regarding their healthcare.

Members of the public and clinicians will be able to access the site, expected to launch this summer, which will also act as a gateway for the navigation of NHS services, with links to NHS Direct online and other sites.

Comparative data on GPs and dentists based on patient surveys and locally-collected information will also be available on the website.

Patricia Hewitt, health secretary, said: “Genuinely empowering people to exercise choice is essential to creating an even better, more responsive NHS.

“Our aim is to provide a simple world class public information resource that any patient can access to make a more informed choice about their healthcare.”

She added that the government was sincere in its commitment to patient choice, noting its recent launch of the partnership for patients project, one aiming to provide the public with access to choice options through internet facilities in libraries.

Earlier this week, the Conservative Party announced a further stage in its health policy, promising to place GPs in the “driving seat” in the NHS.