Overview

• Dr Hilary Jones traveled 180 miles from his home in Kent to a Birmingham private hospital using NHS Patient Choice to avoid an over-18-week wait and undergo his second hip replacement at no extra cost.
• NHS Patient Choice grants anyone facing delays beyond 18 weeks the right to select or switch to alternative providers, including private facilities that deliver NHS-funded care at no higher cost.
• A OnePoll survey for Practice Plus Group found patients would travel on average 60 miles for treatment within three to four weeks and 49 miles for waits of six to eight weeks, with one in ten willing to travel over 200 miles for surgery in under a month.
• Around 55 percent of respondents were unaware of their right to seek care beyond local NHS hospitals, prompting calls from government and private partners under the 10-year NHS plan to raise public awareness.
• Planned enhancements to the NHS App aim to guide patients through provider options and simplify referrals, supporting the wider rollout of Patient Choice and private-sector capacity to reduce waiting times.