Responding to the Secretary of State’s speech on NHS reform, David Furness, Director of Policy at the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said:

“We welcome today’s announcement from the Health Secretary to bolster patient choice rights and ensure that those patients waiting the longest for NHS treatment are given clear options to access faster treatment, whether in an NHS or independent provider.

“Despite record high NHS waiting times, patients’ awareness of their legal right to choose the fastest possible treatment remains low, with less than half of the public currently aware of these rights.

“The Government’s strong words on choice must now translate into concrete action to kickstart the patient power agenda – ensuring all patients are aware of their choices in accessing NHS treatment which will deliver both tangible improvements in patient outcomes and help clear the growing NHS backlog.”