CHOICE, we are told, is our right in the NHS — be it hospitals, doctors or appointments.
Now the Chancellor has vetoed a key element of the forthcoming White Paper on community health.
Pulse (Jan 12) says that after “vehement opposition” from Gordon Brown, the right to sign up with two GPs (dual registration) will not be included in the paper. That is, patients will not be able to register with one GP close to home and another GP near to work.
The Department of Health (DH) felt that dual registration would improve access and choice. The Chancellor, though, thought it would “exacerbate health inequalities and lead some surgeries to close”.
It is likely that patients will have the choice of longer GP opening times or private providers instead.