For the past three years patients referred by their GP for a specialist outpatient consultation have had a choice over where to be treated. As part of a larger research project, a survey was sent to patients in four case study areas of England to ask them about their experience of referral and choosing a hospital for treatment. This report summarises survey findings and shows that implementation of the policy is not yet complete, and that most patients do not experience referral as the policy envisaged.
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