The Department commissions and reviews numerous papers on choice. The following answer shows the details of many of the papers, research and surveys on patient choice that the Department has commissioned and reviewed in recent years.
As part of its ongoing patient choice programme the Department commissions research on various aspects of choice policy.
The Department commissioned a series of national patient choice surveys to assess the implementation of choice at primary care trust (PCT) level. The National Patient Choice Survey is a series of surveys, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Department. They monitor patient awareness of choice and recall of having been offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment. They were designed to provide a national overview of choice with summary results at PCT level (initially bi-monthly and now quarterly) and generally have an effective response rate around 30 per cent. Surveys also contain information on respondents' age, sex and ethnicity. The report of the December 2008 survey was published on 7 May 2009.
The Health Reform Evaluation Programme (HREP) is a programme of research being coordinated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to evaluate the reforms set out in the Department's publication “Health Reform in England: update and next steps”. This includes research on a range of issues including patient choice. Final reporting will begin in 2010. As part of the HREP, LSHTM have also conducted a “systematic review of the impact of patient choice of provider in the English NHS1” (2009). An ongoing study under this programme which is yet to report is entitled “Effects of choice and market reform on inequalities of access to health care”.
The Department commissions a module on attitudes to health issues in the British Social Attitudes annual survey conducted by Natcen. This involves a series of questions about social attitudes towards health and health services. Some of these questions are about attitudes towards patient choice. The results of the survey are published in a report on an annual basis2.
The Department is conducting regional awareness campaigns on patient choice and has commissioned an evaluation of these campaigns.
Other research on patient choice commissioned by the Department includes:
Title of document/research programme Date Author Available from/on London Patient Choice Programme 2005 NHS London www.londonchoice.nhs.uk/about-programmeoverview.php Are patients choosing? 2009 Henderson, Robertson and Dixon British Journal of Healthcare Management 15 (2): 77-80 NHS maternity services quantitative research 2005 TNS System Three www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4124246 Literature review on choice and mental health 2005 Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health www.library.nhs.uk/PPI/ViewResource.aspx?resID=250438
The Department reviews research on various aspects of choice policy. Following is a table with details of many of the pieces of research that have been reviewed that are directly relevant to patient choice in the national health service.
Title of document Date Author Available from/on Improving choice at end of life. London: King's Fund 2008 Addicot, R. and Dewar, S. King's Fund http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/research/publications/improving_choice_at.html Cancer and the future of Choice 2006 Barclay, M. (Macmillan Cancer Support) “Why do patients change their general practitioner? A postal questionnaire study of patients in Avon” 1993 Billighurst, B. and Whitfield, M. British Journal of General Practice 43: 336-338 Will more choice improve outcomes in Education and Health Care? 2005 Burgess, S. The Evidence from Economic Research. CMPO: London www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/CMPO/choice.pdf Just what the patient ordered. Better GP services. CBI: London 2007 CBI www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/gpservices0907.pdf A healthy choice: building a stronger NHS. CBI: London 2008 CBI www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/A%20healthy%20choice_Building%20a%20stronger%20NHS_June2008.pdf Hospital at Home or Acute Hospital Care? A Cost-Minimisation Analysis 1998 Coast J., Richards S.H., Peters T.J., Gunnell D.J., Darlow M.A., Pounsford J. BMJ 316: 1802-1806 “Registering choice: how primary care should change to meet patients needs” 2005 Corrigan, Social Market Foundation http://www.smf.co.uk/registering-choice-how-primary-care-should-change-to-meet-patient-needsl.html Evaluation of London Patient Choice 2004 Coulter A. et al (Picker Institute) www.londonchoice.nhs.uk/documents/Patient-Experience-Study-LPC-(PICKER).pdf Evidence on the effectiveness of strategies to improve patients' experience of cancer care 2007 Coulter, A. www.pickereurope.org/Filestore/PIE_reports/project_reports/Cancer_reform_strategy_Macmillan.pdf Where are the patients in decision-making about their own care? Copenhagen: WHO 2008 Coulter, A. et al www.euro.who.int/document/hsm/3_hsc08__ePB_6.pdf Patients' involvement in decisions about medicines. GPs' perceptions of their preferences. 2007 Cox, K., Britten, N., Hooper, R. and White, P. British Journal of General Practise 57: 777–784 Our Choices in Mental Health 2006 CSIP www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2009/DEP2009-0074.pdf Audit of Acute Maternity Services 2006 Department of Health Building on the Best: Choice, Responsiveness and Equity in the NHS 2003 Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Responsestoconsultations/DH_4068391 Choice Matters. Working with libraries 2008 Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_083956 Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service 2007 Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_073312 Long Term Conditions Personal Care Plan Impact Assessment 2009 DH http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegistation/DH_095647 Patient choice: What does ‘choice' mean to people with diabetes? 2005 Diabetes UK http://www.diabetes.org.uk/en/Professionals/lnformation_resources/Reports/Patient_choice/ Is greater choice consistent with equity. The case of the English NHS. 2006 Dixon, A. and Le Grand, J. Journal of Health Services and Policy 11: 162-166 Patient choice in general practice: the implications of patient satisfaction surveys 2008 Dixon, A. et al Journal of Health Services and Policy 13: 67-72 Patients choosing their healthcare 2005 Dr. Foster www.drfoster.co.uk/patientchoice/pdf/Patient_Choice_Workbook.pdf Patient Choice and the Organisation and Delivery of Health Services: Scoping Review 2005 Fotaki M. et al What benefits will choice bring to patients? Literature review and assessment of implications. 2008 Fotaki, M. et al Journal of Health Services and Policy 13(3): 178-184 A bed too far. The implementation of freedom of choice policy in the NHS. 2008 Garcia-Lacalle, J. Health Policy 87: 31-40 Home or Hospital? Choices at the end of life. 2004 Gomes, B. and Higginson, I. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 97(9): 413-414 National survey of local health services 2008 2008 Healthcare Commission http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/_db/_documents/PCT08_Comparative_tables_v4_1-24-07-08_-_backup.pdf Does Publicising Hospital Performance Stimulate Quality Improvement Efforts? 2003 Hibbard, J. et al Health Affairs, vol 22, no 2 Priorities and Preferences for End of Life Care in England, Wales and Scotland 2003 Higginson I.J. National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services NHS Reforms Workshops 2006 Ipsos-MORI Choice in Mental Health Care 2006 King's Fund and SCMH www.scmh.org.uk/pdfs/briefing31_choice_in_mental_health_care.pdf Improving Choice at end of life 2008 King's Fund http://www.kingsfund.org.u/research/publications/improving_choice_at.html LSE Depression Report 2006 LSE—CEP cep.lse.ac.uk/textonly/research/mentalhealth/depression_report_layard.pdf “Choice and Contestability in primary care” 2004 Maclean (2004) Social Market Foundation Health Commission http://smf.smf.co.uk/choice-and-contestability-in-primary-care.html Liverpool Care Pathway: Promoting best practice for care of the dying 2006 Marie Curie http://www.lcp-mariecurie.org.uk/ Valuing Choice—Dying at home 2004 Marie Curie campaign.mariecurie.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/646C31D0-49C1-42C5-8BFE-D1A8F3F3A499/0/campaign_valuing_choice.pdf British Social Attitudes: the 22nd report. Two terms of New Labour the Public's reaction 2005 Natcen http://www.natcen.ac.uk/natcen/pages/op_socialattitudes.htm#bsa End of Life Care 2008 National Audit Office http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0708/end_of_life_care.aspx The NHS Cancer Plan and the New NHS: Providing a Patient-Centred Service 2004 NHS Impact of patients' socioeconomic status on the distance travelled for hospital admission in the English National Health Service 2007 Propper, C. et al Journal of Health Services Research, vol 12, No 3. The Royal Society of Medicine Press: London Does competition between Hospitals Improve the Quality of Care? Hospital Death Rates and the NHS Internal Market. University of Bristol, CEPR and CMPO 2007 Propper, C. et al Ideas.repec.org/a/eee/pubeco/v88y2004i7-8p1247-1272.html The costs of alternative types of routine antenatal care for low-risk women: shared care vs. care by general practitioners and community midwives 1996 Ratcliffe J., Ryan M., Tucker J. J Health Serv Res Policy 1(3): 135-40 Patient choice 2008 Robertson, R. and Thorlby, R. www.kingsfund.org.uk/document.rm?id=7356 “Patient Choice in general practice: the implications of patient satisfaction surveys” 2008 Robertson, R. Dixon, A. Le Grand, J. (2008) Journal of Health Services Research Policy 13(2): 67-72 The anatomy of GP referral decisions: A qualitative study of GP views on their role in supporting patient choice 2006 Rosen, R., Florin, D. and Hutt, R. www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/the_kings_fund_publications/an_anatomy_of_gp.html Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Hospital at Home with Inpatient Hospital Care. II: Cost Minimisation Analysis 1998 Shepperd S., Harwood D., Gray A. Vessey M. Morgan P. BMJ 316: 1791-1796 Economic analysis of two models of low risk maternity care: a freestanding birth centre compared to traditional care 2000 Stone P.W., Zwangziger J., Hinton P.H., Buenting J. Res Nurs Health 23: 279-89 Implications of offering “Patient Choice” for routine adult surgical referrals 2004 Taylor R./Dr. Foster Ltd./University of Nottingham An Overview of the Literature on Palliative Care in Primary Care 2003 (Taken from chapter 5 in 'Caring for the Dying at Home: Companions on the Journey by Thomas K. (2003)) http://www.goldstandardsframework.nhs.uk/content/guides_and_presentations/Evidence_base.pdf_ Free choice at the point of referral 2008 Thorlby, R. and Gregory, S. www.kingsfund.org.uk/document.rm?id=7526 Choice and Equity. PCT Survey. 2007 Thorlby, R. and Turner, P. Kings Fund http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/404.rm?doclink=true&destination_id=6915&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elibrary%2Enhs% 2Euk%2Fhealthmanagement%2FViewResource%2Easpx%3FreslD%3D260851 Patient reactions to hospital choice in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden 2007 Vrangbaek, K. et al Health Economics, Policy and Law, Vol. 2, pp: 125-152 Exploring cost and quality: Community based versus traditional hospital delivery 1996 Walker, P., Stone, P. J Health Care Finance 23:23-41 Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer. Economic Review. 2004 Ward S., Salzano S., Sampson F., Cowan J./NICE NHS Messaging: Attitudes of NHS staff 2004 Wardle McLean Choice literature review 2006 Warner et al. / Kings Fund and SCMH Palliative Care: The Solid Facts 2004 World Health Organisation Europe (edited by Davies, E. and Higginson, I.J.) http://www.euro.who.int/lnformationSources/Publications/Catalogue/20050118_2 The costs to the NHS of maternity care: midwife-managed vs. shared 1997 Young, D., Lees, A., Twaddle, S. Br J Midwifery 5(8): 465-71 The lure of patient choice 2007 Bryant, L.D., Bown, N., Bekker, H.L., and House, A. British Journal of General Practice 57: 822-826
1 http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/hsru/hrep/publications/index.htm
2 http://www.natcen.ac.uk/bsa/