Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that patients are offered a choice of five providers at the point of referral where appropriate.

The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care. Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient.

The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out plans to improve patient choice, empowering people to take control of their health by making the NHS App and Manage Your Referral website the default route for patients to choose their provider. We are improving the information available to patients, such as waiting times. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a transformed vision for elective care, that will ensure the National Health Service is receptive and reactive to patient preference, voice, and choice.

In May 2023, NHS England asked all referrers to ensure they shortlist on average five choices from which the patient may choose, where this is practicable, clinically appropriate, and preferred by the patient. Integrated care boards have responsibility to ensure that their patients are aware of the choices available to them and are able to exercise their legal right to choose a provider following an elective care referral, and this is underpinned in Part 8 of the NHS Standing Rules, which are available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2996/part/8

NHS England has regulatory oversight responsibilities to ensure patient choice operates effectively in the NHS and has published Patient Choice Guidance, which includes guidance for referrers, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/