What is Patient Choice?

Patient Choice is a government initiative introduced to give NHS patients more choice about where, when and what time they are treated. NHS patients in England who require hospital treatment can now choose any participating hospital in the country that can meet their needs. One of your options could be a Ramsay Health Care hospital or treatment centre.

Waiting times

The current NHS waiting time from seeing your General Practitioner to treatment is a maximum of 18 weeks. Oaks Hospital will manage waiting times within these national guidelines, read our Access Policy (pdf) for more information on waiting list and management of patients accessing NHS treatment.

Guidelines

The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who funds your NHS treatment, sets guidelines for waiting times within these maximums. 

If you wish to have your Consultation, procedure or treatment sooner, you may wish to consider continuing your treatment as a private patient rather than remaining as an NHS patient. 

This gives you an option to have your appointment or treatment at a date and time which is convenient to you and fits in with your family and work commitments.