The NHS Constitution gives patients in England the legal right to choose their healthcare provider for most consultant-led outpatient services, once a clinical decision has been made that a referral is needed. This means patients can select where they receive their first outpatient appointment for a physical or mental health condition, as long as the provider is NHS-funded and meets the requirements of the NHS standard contract.
“Our practice respects our patients legal right to choose. This referral does not constitute an agreement to undertake prescribing or shared care with the provider organisation. Each such request will be reviewed on an individual basis in line with our local system guidance.”