Choice Policy
Last Review Date N/A
Approving Body Executive Committee
Date of Approval 18th March 2020
Date of Implementation 19th March 2020
Next Review Date March 2023
Review Responsibility Strategy and Delivery
Version 1
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Date of Review Amendment Details March 2020 New Choice Policy developed to replace a pre-existing Choice Strategy.
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CONTENTS Page
1. Introduction- Putting patients at the heart of care 4
1.1 Background 5
2. The Choice Framework (2020) 5-7
2.1 Exclusions 7
3. Implementing the comprehensive model- NHS England 7
3.1 NHS Constitution 8
3.2 The NHS Long Term Plan 8
4. Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group Commitments 8
4.1 How are we going to get there? 9
5. National Choice Survey 11
6. Local achievements 11
6.1 Electronic Records System (e-RS) 11
6.2 Manage Choice (Previously Choice at 26 weeks) 12
6.3 Capacity Alerts 13
7. Mitigating risks 13
Glossary 14
References 15
Appendix A – Action Plan 16
Equality Impact Assessment 22
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1. Introduction – Putting patients at the heart of care
This Policy is a guide to the choices that patients have and can make about their personal healthcare and treatment. It is firmly written into the NHS constitution that ‘patients will be at the heart of everything the NHS does’. Thus every patient has a right to make informed choices about their healthcare and be offered the opportunity to compare and make choice decisions based on their individual needs.
The NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (DCCG) has an ambition to provide as much choice as possible for patients when they need to access NHS services.
Our mission is to be: A high quality and accountable Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), encouraging responsive partnership engagement in a transparent climate of ongoing learning in order to create a patient-centred yet financially astute and corporate approach to commissioning.
Our vision is to: Work with others to invest in quality healthcare for Doncaster patients.
Our values are that: The needs of patients are paramount. The CCG will drive forward continuous improvement, through relationships based on integrity and trust.
We are delighted with the progress we have made in Doncaster since the Department of Health and Social Care set out its commitment to patient choice.
Over a decade ago patients had very little choice, with hospital appointments made on their behalf, usually with no prior discussion. We have come a long way since then on the journey towards greater patient involvement in healthcare. Not least, that Doncaster patients now have the right to choose when, where and who they go to for their first outpatient appointment.
We believe patients should be involved at every stage of their pathway of care. It is a fundamental right, for patients to have the opportunity to make a reasonable choice and to receive the information and support they need to make an informed choice.
Effective patient engagement runs like a golden thread through our mission, vision and values and is a core element of our work. Having high quality patient and public engagement, supported by clear, easy-to- understand information is the key to unlocking many benefits for a good patient experience, better value for healthcare resources and trusted relationships in the community.
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NHS DCCG have already made encouraging progression with regards to offering patients choice and will continue to ensure that the choices we offer to our patients are fair, effective and sustainable.
1.1 Background
Since the introduction of Patient Choice the NHS set out the vision of ‘a health service designed around the patient’, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England has published a succession of white papers and policy documentation to move forward the vision to deliver a patient- centred health service.
The NHS Choice Framework is the key thread running through the national policies, this was developed from a Choice Agenda which was published in 2000 and started with a commitment for every patient to be offered a choice of hospital at the point of referral and for any patient waiting longer than six months for elective surgery to be offered an alternative choice.
DCCG have actively promoted patient choice for more than a decade, working closely with our partners to ensure that everyone is aware of their rights surrounding patient choice. More recently DCCG have focused on ensuring that our systems are developed to provide referring clinicians and partners with the education and tools required to offer choice to patients.
2. The Choice Framework (2020)
The 2020 Choice framework has further defined those services where choice is a patient’s legal right and their rights under the NHS constitution. The Framework forms the basis of this policy and offers the following provisions for patients:
- Choosing GP and GP Practice
Patients have a legal right to choose which GP Practice they register with and they can ask to see a particular doctor or nurse of their choice. The GP Practice must make every effort to meet a patients preference, although there may be occasions when this might not be possible.
- Choosing where to go for your first outpatient appointment at point of referral
Patients have a legal right to decide which NHS organisation they would like to receive care from as an outpatient. The referring clinician will make every effort to meet the patient’s request, although this may not always be feasible and is dependent on the circumstances.
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- Asking to change hospital if you have been waiting longer than the maximum wait times
If a patient has been waiting longer than 18 weeks for a general appointment or longer than 2 weeks for an urgent suspected cancer appointment they have the legal right to request that they are refereed to another provider that can see them in a shorter timeframe. There may be cases where the request cannot be made but every effort should be made to ensure that patients are not breaching wait times.
- Choosing who carries out a specialist test
It is a legal right for patients to request a specific NHS provider to carry out specialist tests; this is only the case if the test will be the patient’s first outpatient appointment for the condition in question. The Referring clinician will try to meet the request of the patient but this may not always be possible.
- The potential of choosing maternity services
Patients can expect a range of choices in maternity services, informed by what is best for them and their baby. This is not a legal right, and the safety of the Patient and the baby will take precedence over the choices on offer.
- The potential of choosing services provided in the community
Patients have the potential to choose to see providers within the community. This is not a legal right and is dependent on the commissioned services available.
- The potential of choosing to take part in health research
Patients can take part in approved health research, for example clinical trials of medicines relating to your circumstances or care. This is not a legal right and patients have the freedom to decide if they would like to partake.
- Choosing to have a personal health budget
A personal health budget is an amount of money to support your health and care needs. Patients may be able to choose to have a personal health budget which can be used to access some NHS services such as end-of- life care, wheelchair, mental health and learning disability services. This is a legal right, but only currently for patient’s that are eligible for continuing care and fulfill criteria’s set by the local clinical commissioning group.
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- Choosing to access required treatment in another European Economic Area country (Subject to change following EU negotiations)
The Following is subject to change following EU negotiations. Patients have the legal right to choose, subject to certain conditions, to receive treatment which is normally available in the NHS in other countries within the European Economic Area (EEA).
2.1 Exclusions
Most patients who require an elective referral are offered a choice of Provider for their booked appointment at the time they are referred by their General Practitioner (GP). However, there are currently a few exceptions to this choice policy, as follows:
Persons excluded • persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 • military personnel • prisoners
Services excluded – Where speedy diagnosis and treatment is particularly important, e.g.
• emergency attendances/admissions • attendances at a Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic under the two-week maximum waiting time • attendance at cancer services under the two-week maximum waiting time
3. Implementing the comprehensive model – NHS England
In January 2019 a delivery plan titled ‘Implementing the comprehensive model’ was published by NHS England. This paper highlights the importance of personalised care being business as usual across the health and care system.
To achieve benefits of personalised care the comprehensive model needs to be delivered in full; the key focus areas are:
1. Shared decision making 2. Personalised care and support planning 3. Enabling choice, including legal rights to choose 4. Social prescribing and community-based support 5. Supported self-management 6. Personal health budgets (PHBs) and integrated personal budgets.
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3.1 NHS Constitution
The pledge set out in the NHS Constitution (2015) is for everyone who is cared for by the NHS in England to have a right to choose the services they receive. The NHS Constitution pledges to:
- Inform patients about the healthcare services available, locally and nationally. - Offer Patients easily accessible, reliable and relevant information in an understandable format. This will enable patients to participate fully in their own healthcare decisions and to support patients in making choices. This will include information on the range and quality of clinical services where there is robust and accurate information available.
3.2 The NHS Long Term Plan
The NHS Long Term Plan highlights the need to treat people as individuals and provide care based on their needs and choices. A key driver for giving patients more control over their own care needs is the access to personalised healthcare budgets particularly for bespoke wheelchairs, mental health services, learning disabilities and end of life care.
The long term plan states that when considering elective care the NHS will provide capacity alerts which will provide patients with waiting time information enabling them to make an educated choice of provider. The plan also states that if a patient has been on a waiting list for longer than six months they will be offered a choice of alternative provider.
4. Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group Commitments
DCCG has declared that it is aware of its statutory duties to, in the exercise of its functions, act with a view to enable patients to make choices with respect to aspects of their care and to promote the involvement of individual patients, and their carers and representatives, in decisions about their care and treatment.
DCCG gives assurance that it will act with a view to enabling patients to make choices by:
a) Ensuring that commissioners and providers maintain the principle of patients’ rights to Choice under the NHS Constitution.
b) Monitoring and communicating key national performance measures relating to Choice such as e-RS utilisation. Page 8 of 24
c) Ensuring continued review and monitoring of this Choice Policy and work to deliver action through the Choice Action Plan (Appendix A).
d) Encouraging and acting on feedback from the public, patients and providers.
e) Responding to new developments from the Department of Health and Social Care and other national guidance regarding the Choice agenda and ensuring these are implemented locally.
DCCG will maintain the vision, values and mission statement as a principal position when undertaking actions relating to patient choice.
4.1 How are we going to get there?
The needs of our patients are paramount and they deserve the best care we can commission for them. We will take a whole-systems approach to drive forward continuous improvement, building mature relationships with our partners and providers based on integrity and trust.
The vision outlined in this document is for shared decision making to become the norm for everyone, whatever their need or background.
Therefore we need to ensure that we are compliant with statutory legislation and the Department of Health and Social care regulations in enabling patients to share in decisions about their care, the choices they have and when they apply.
In order to realise this objective we will follow the guidance set out within the choice framework, additional to this a number of key actions have been identified:
1. Patient and provider consultation to gather feedback on the e-RS system, its value and their experience of booking appointments and referral process. This will enable the organisation to tailor the way it prioritises commissioning decisions in relation to the electronic booking system.
2. Increase the current offer of choice of any provider significantly, and explore with professional and patient groups how we can make rapid progress towards this goal.
3. Continue to develop an understanding of the current provider landscape and how this needs to change to meet strategic objectives and choice options particularly around primary and secondary care. Engage current and future service providers to improve engagement and encourage market development.
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4. Ensure collaborative working to enable:
• The public/service users to influence commissioning.
• Opportunities for choice to be explored at different decision points along the care pathway.
• Self-management and support clinicians so that they enable patients to manage their own conditions.
5. Continuous evaluation of services to ensure value for money, cost efficiency and effectiveness in delivering clinical outcomes.
6. Incorporating patient choice into our commissioning strategy will ensure that choice is considered for all stages of life for Doncaster patients.
7. Implementation of Capacity Alerts to enable patients and clinicians to have an informed choice based on wait times.
8. Promote the choice agenda and raise awareness across the Commissioning Directorate and wider Doncaster Place through organisational and workforce development.
The Choice Action Plan (Appendix A) will support the organisations Patient Choice agenda.
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5. National Choice Survey
- NHS England 2015
The latest Choice survey was published by NHS England in 2015. 6,989 adults in England and Wales were interviewed, 2729 of those interviewed were required to have an outpatient appointment. 40% of those were offered a choice at the time of referral. Out of the 2,729 patients 47% said that they were aware that they could choose their own hospital or clinic prior to the appointment. 1,086 patients shared the source of information which gave them the information surrounding choice. The chart below shows that the main source is from the referring General Practitioner.
92% of respondents who recalled being offered a choice were able to go to the provider of their choice.
6. Local Achievements
The DCCG Strategy and Delivery Team have been actively involved in delivering choice messages to raise awareness publicly, as well as providing support to practices to enable GPs and their staff to facilitate the decision making process, using e-RS to identify suitable providers of healthcare and accessing information so patients can make an informed choice.
6.1 Electronic Records System (e-RS)
Work has also been ongoing with the local acute Trust to maximise the functionality and appointment slot availability within e-RS. Over the last 5 years Doncaster has maintained a significantly higher utilisation of the e- RS system than the rest of England.
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Fig. 1 demonstrates the e-RS utilisation in Doncaster between January 2019- November 2019 compared to England and the North of England.
Fig. 1 e-RS Choose and book Utilisation 100%
95%
90%
85% NHS Doncaster
England 80% North of England 75%
70%
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/e-referral-service/reports-and-statistics/weekly-booking-reports
6.2 Manage Choice- (Previously known as Choice at 26 weeks)
October 2019 saw the launch of the Manage Choice pilot delivered by a Steering team led by the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System (SYB ICS). Patients waiting longer than 26 weeks for an elective appointment would (Where capacity and clinical eligibility allows) be offered an alternative choice of treatment provider. The Pilot ended after 3 months and the results were satisfactory with 55% of patients assessed being eligible for choice and 85% of those that were offered a choice accepted.
Fig.2 shows a breakdown of the patients that accepted the choice and whether this was with an NHS or independent provider and which specialism the appointment was for.
Fig.2
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Feedback was collated from those patients that took part in the pilot, many patients highlighted that they were happy to travel to a private provider that was closer to their local NHS hospital rather than travel to another NHS Trust, the main reason that people refused choice was due to travel issues and confidence in the provider.
Based on the outcomes of the pilot The SYB ICS Steering team are continuing to roll out ‘Manage Choice’ to patients that have been waiting longer than 18 weeks for elective appointments. The ambition is to offer choice to 80% of patients by 2021 with an ambition of 55% of patients accepting the choice.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-21-NHS-Operational-Planning- Contracting-Guidance.pdf
6.3 Capacity Alerts
DCCG will work in collaboration with the SYB ICS to roll out Capacity Alerts across 2020- 2022 for all eligible specialities. This system will enable referring clinicians to have information regarding capacity issues and availability. This will ensure an informed discussion with the patient takes place surrounding choice and wait times at the point of referral.
7. Mitigating Risks
In developing the Choice Policy the organisation recognises and acknowledges there are risks associated with this. These are:
− Clear investment and disinvestment processes which lead to a mix of providers based on clinically defined cost/quality compromise. This is a complex and highly emotive area which needs the organisation to have clear processes in terms of service evaluation and transparency in decision making.
− National Choice surveys have not been completed since 2015. This makes it difficult for the CCG to monitor the outcomes of the choice offer, acceptance and the reasons for rejection. The CCG will need to work with the referrers closely to gain quality information to aid in the evolving action plan going forward. There is also the potential to adopt the ICS Manage choice pilot survey evaluation model for choice at initial referral.
− DCCG has a coherent strategy for increasing personalisation of care including choice, addressing joint health and care needs.
− GPs use of e-RS System and the prioritisation on the level of time/ resources invested.
− Projects being led by SYB ICS such as the Manage Choice and capacity alerts need to be closely monitored and agreed by the commissioning team at DCCG. Page 13 of 24
Glossary
Electronic Referral e-RS is a national service that combines electronic Service (e-RS) booking and a choice of provider Capacity Alerts A system which can be added to e-RS to highlight which providers have capacity (highlighted green) and those that are struggling for capacity (highlighted red) Clinical Clinical Commissioning Groups are responsible for Commissioning designing local health services In England, working Group with patients and healthcare professionals and in partnership with local communities and local authorities. Commissioning Commissioning in the NHS is the process of ensuring that the health and care services provided effectively meet the needs of the population. General Practitioner GPs diagnose and treat a wide range of health (GP) conditions in primary care (from physical, emotional or social causes). They talk to patients and examine them in order to diagnose their condition, and may prescribe medicine or treatment, perform minor surgery, or advise patients on health issues, promoting healthy lifestyles and prevention of illness. They also decide whether a patient needs to be referred to other healthcare professionals for further investigations or treatment. National Health The NHS is the publicly-funded healthcare system in Service (NHS) the United Kingdom which provides healthcare to anyone normally resident in the United Kingdom with services free at the point of use.
Personal Health A personal health budget is an amount of money to Budgets (PHB) support health and wellbeing needs, which is planned and agreed between the patient and the local NHS team. It is not new money, but it may mean spending money differently so that you can get the care that you need.
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References - The NHS Constitution 2015: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/atta chment_data/file/480482/NHS_Constitution_WEB.pdf
- The NHS Choice Framework 2020: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework/the-nhs- choice-framework-what-choices-are-available-to-me-in-the-nhs
- Universal Personalised Care: Implementing the Comprehensive Model: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/universal-personalised- care.pdf
- The NHS Long Term Plan: https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/nhs-long-term- plan-version-1.2.pdf
- The operational Planning guidance 2020: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-21-NHS- Operational-Planning-Contracting-Guidance.pdf
- The NHS National Choice Survey 2015: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/monitor-nhse- outpatient-appointments-summary.pdf
- The Health and Social Care Act 2012 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/pdfs/ukpga_20120007_en.pdf
Additional references of interest:
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-choice/ - https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/choice-in-mental-health-care/ - https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-choice/elective-care/choice- materials/ - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice- framework
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Appendix A – The Doncaster CCG Choice Action Plan based on the NHS Choice framework
Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 1. Exercise a patient’s legal GP and GP practices All GP practices will accept Continue with 2020 right to have a choice of GP accept patients unless it patients unless they can communication to GP’s and and/ or GP practice. has reasonable grounds evidence a reason for patients around choice. for not doing so, such as rejection. Responsibility lies with NHS a closed list or outside Clinical Commissioning catchment area. Groups to ensure that patients are not being denied a choice unless appropriate. 2. Patients have a legal right to All Primary care referrers All Primary care referrers The GP, Dentist, 2020 choose where they have have an obligation to are to offer choice of Optometrist or other their first outpatient accept a patient’s outpatient appointment to healthcare professional who appointment. This includes preference of choice for the patient at the time of is referring the patient is the choice of a ‘consultant outpatient appointment referral. responsible for offering led team’. and they will submit this at choice. the time of referral.
Exceptions to offering outpatient Clinical Commissioning choice: Most GP’s are now offering Groups must make sure choice at the time of patients have a choice of • Prisoners referral in line with national outpatient appointment. • Serving member of Armed guidelines.
Forces Doncaster CCG will ensure
• Detained under the Mental that the e-RS system is Health Act 1983 utilised, and if it isn’t they will • High secure psychiatric address issues around services training and • Drug and alcohol misuse communications. services commissioned or provided by local authorities. Work with the South Page 16 of 24
Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 2.continued Yorkshire and Bassetlaw integrated care system will continue to support this action by offering a capacity alert system in 2020. This will allow patients to make informed decisions around their outpatient care provider.
Continue to work with staff at Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS FT & RDaSH, with regard to any operational issues.
3. Exercising the patient’s DCCG monitor wait times The manage choice Responsibility lies with 2020 legal right to change and feedback information programme will be rolled out Clinical Commissioning SYB ICS hospitals if they have had regarding breaches to across South Yorkshire and Group. manage excessive wait times. the identified provider in Bassetlaw throughout choice to be the hope that they can 2020/21 with the ambition of Explicit on all patient letters. rolled out, Set out in the NHS Constitution: offer them an alternative 80% of patients waiting Principles included in Access with full choice. longer than 18 weeks being Policy. implementati “If it is not possible to be seen offered an alternative on in 2022. within the maximum waiting time, The South Yorkshire and choice. Continue the roll out of the the CCG that commissions your Bassetlaw Integrated SYB ICS manage choice treatment must investigate and care system (SYB ICS) offer. offer you a range of suitable have just completed a alternative hospitals or community choice pilot which clinics that would be able to see identifies those patients
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Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 3.Continued – or treat you within breaching wait times. a shorter time frame.” A cohort of patients that There are several exclusions for are identified as suitable this action set out in the NHS to be treated by another Constitution, including: provider are then They choose to wait longer for contacted and offered an their treatment to start; alternative choice.
There are medical reasons that mean it is better for the patient to wait; Patient fails to attend appointments that they had chosen from a set of reasonable options. 4. It is the patients legal right All Primary care referrers All Primary care referrers Responsibility lies with the 2020 to choose who carries out a have an obligation to are to offer choice of GP who refers for the test. specialist test. accept a patient’s provider to the patient at the This is only the case the test has preference of choice for time of referral where Minimal action – choice of been ordered by a GP and is part which provider carries out eligible. provider for first appointment of first outpatient appointment with a specialist test. Where already implemented. a consultant or member of his this is not a possibility the team. Referring clinician should Exclusions are: explain why it falls within the exclusion criteria. • Urgent test required • Test being undertaken as part of an admission to hospital Patients do not have a legal right to choose once you are being seen as an outpatient. Page 18 of 24
Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 5. The potential of choosing Offered at any point At each patients point of Responsibility lies with 2020 maternity services. throughout the care plan if/ contact with the maternity Clinical Commissioning when a need is services there will be a Group. This is not a legal right – choice established. consideration of the depends on welfare of patient/ patients/ baby’s welfare and Commissioners for maternity baby and local services available. local services available to services to ensure women decide if the patient will have the choice of place and benefit from alternative manner of their birth, where services. appropriate. 6. The potential of choosing Patients currently have a The CCG will continue to The GP, Dentist, Optometrist 2023 services provided in the choice to be referred to devise new services in the or other healthcare community. community providers. community and will ensure professional who is referring This is not a legal right. Where a referring clinician that communication and the patient is responsible for is aware of such service engagement strategies offering choice. Choice of services depends on they should be offering the support such services for local consultation and what the choice at the point of providers, referrers, patients Services available for Any CCG, GP practices and referral. and the general public. Qualified Provider (AQP) are patients decide are local When a new service is the responsibility of the priorities. procured the CCG will Clinical Commissioning ensure that communication Group. and engagement is of a high priority to make The CCG will consider choice primary care referrers and when going through the AQP patients aware of the process procurement for services on offer. services to ensure patient choice of provider in the community.
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Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 6.Continued- to any new services within the community.
7. The potential of The Doncaster Clinical Work with providers to The CCG will review our 2021 choosing to take part Commissioning Group ensure they are offering this current position to ensure we in health research supports patients’ choice when available to continue to promote patient’s recruitment to participate in their patients. recruitment to and Not mandated research in partnership participation in research. with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals. 8. Choosing to have a DCCG’s offer for DCCG will provide personal In line with the long term 2021 personal health personalised health health budgets to groups of plan requirements the budget budgets (PHB) is in line patients on a voluntary Doncaster CCG will with the current basis, if they recognise that evaluate our current position legislation. People have there is a benefit to the of personalised health It became a legal right to ask for a legal right to ask for a patient and the NHS from budgets and will develop a a Personal Health Budget from personalised health offering packages of care in plan to increase uptake. April 2014 for people receiving budget where this way. NHS Continuing Healthcare appropriate. This is then (Including children). considered and evaluated against a variety of factors, where the opportunity arises to support this it will be approved and put in to place.
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Action Current State Future State Actions Required Timescale 9. Choosing to access The treatment must be one Unknown- Awaiting EU Wait and re-evaluate action 2021 required treatment in that is available through negotiations plan. another European the NHS in the CCG. Economic Area country There is then a right to (Subject to change claim reimbursement up to following EU negotiations) the amount the treatment would have cost under the NHS – or the actual amount if this is lower.
10. Being provided with National context and All Referring clinicians to Doncaster CCG to monitor 2021 more information to local communications have quality the uptake of choice and help you choose developed by Doncaster conversations with directly engage with CCG was sent out to patients surrounding referrers and the general Primary care teams to choice (Where it is an public to promote choice. aid the patient in the option). To send out up to date choice process. Patients to have a good communication and understanding of their engagement material to The Doncaster CCG has rights surrounding support patients in an ongoing choice. understanding their rights to Communication’s and choice. engagement plan for Update the CCG website choice. and have a page dedicated to choice with the “Easy Read” choice leaflets available.
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Equality Impact Assessment
Subject of equality Choice Policy analysis
Tick Policy √ Strategy Type Business case Commissioning service
redesign Contract / Procurement Event / consultation Name: Kayleigh Harper Owner Job Strategy and Delivery Manager for Planned Care Title: Date 06/05/2020 A Choice Policy has been developed to outline the national requirements and local commitments to ensuring that patients are offered a choice within the NHS. Assessment Equality must be considered throughout this policy to ensure that Summary everyone has access to the information and services available to them. National easy read documentation regarding patient choice has been developed and will be shared as part of an ongoing communications strategy to accompany this policy. Tick Staff √ General public √ Stakeholders Service users √ Partners √ Providers √ Other A vast range of national documentation has been used to support this Policy including: The Choice Framework (2020), the NHS Constitution, The NHS Long Term Plan and the National Choice Survey. Data collection and Data has been collected and analysed from local Choice pilots to consultation support the Policies future objectives. Consultation has taken place within Doncaster Clinical Commissioning groups (CCG) Strategy and Delivery team and approval has been given by the CCG executive team.
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Negative: What are the Protected risks? Positive Neutral Negative characteristic Positive: What are the benefits / opportunities? The choices outlined in the policy are available for Age √ everyone regardless of their age. The choices outlined in the policy are available for everyone. Where an individual may not be able to make a Disability √ choice, a professionally trained team as well as the next of kin/ carers will be included in the choice decision. The choices outlined in the policy are available for Gender √ everyone regardless of Gender. The choices outlined in the Race √ policy are available for everyone regardless of race. The choices outlined in the policy are available for Religion & Belief √ everyone regardless of religion or belief. The choices outlined in the policy are available for Sexual Orientation √ everyone regardless of sexual orientation.
The choices outlined in the Gender policy are available for √ reassignment everyone regardless of Gender reassignment. The choices outlined in the policy are available for Pregnancy & √ everyone; specific choices for Maternity Pregnancy and maternity are identified within the policy. The choices outlined in the Marriage & Civil √ policy are available for Partnership everyone. Social Inclusion / The choices outlined in the Community √ policy are available for Cohesion everyone. Page 23 of 24
The choice policy outlines the number of choices that are available for everyone. Offering choices to individuals will always be a positive action because it will allow us to treat people as individuals and tailor Conclusion & their care in the best way for them. Recommendations Our action plan within the Choice policy focus’ on ensuring that the including any Choices are rolled out and offered at patient touch points. A resulting action plan communications plan will support this to ensure that patients themselves are aware of their rights regarding the choices they have. Review date 18/03/2023
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