How to embed Enabling Choice
Why do it?
In some circumstances patients have legal rights to choice and they must be given these choices by law. In other circumstances patients do not have a legal right to choice but they should be offered choice about their care, depending on what is available locally. This is what the government has asked healthcare professionals to do.
The NHS Choice framework sets out some of the choices available to patients in the NHS. It explains:
- when patients have choices about their healthcare
- where to get more information to help patients choose
- how to complain if patients are not offered a choice.
The entitlements to choice set out in this framework reflect those in the NHS Constitution. The constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out:
- rights that patients, public and staff are entitled to
- pledges that the NHS is committed to achieve
- responsibilities, which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively.
This applies to people of all ages in England.
How to do it
Use your Shared Decision Making conversations and reviews of SDMQ9 or CollaBORATE to ensure that your patients can say:
- I have discussed with my GP or healthcare professional the different options available to me.
- I was given the opportunity to choose a suitable alternative provider.
- Information to help me make my decisions was available and accessible for me.
- I was given sufficient time to consider what was right for me.