Patient choice, particularly the choice of hospital, has been at the heart of health policy for a number of years. The aim of this policy is to create competition, which in turn drives improvements in quality; for this to work effectively, patients have to make their choices on the basis ...
This paper was commissioned by The King's Fund to inform the Inquiry into the Quality of General Practice in England. The views expressed are those of the authors and not of the panel and Pregnancy is a normal physiological process, and an important life and family event. There are many professionals involved in the care of pregnant women, their babies and their families, including obstetricians, anaesthetists, midwives and GPs. Today, there are two main models of care for pregnant women in the United Kingdom: ...
The policy of offering patients a choice in where they receive hospital treatment was intended to create competition between providers, encouraging efficiency and responsiveness to patients’ preferences and ultimately to drive up the quality of care. So has the policy met those aims? Since January 2006, patients requiring a referral ...