Is choice offered for all medical conditions?

A choice of hospital is available for most medical conditions. However, If you need to be seen quickly, for example, your doctor wants you to see a cancer specialist or you have severe chest pain, he will send you where you will be seen most quickly.

If you need to see a mental health specialist or someone regarding your pregnancy, you will not be able to choose where you are seen by a specialist.

Not all hospitals treat every medical condition and some patients may need a more specialised service.

Why should I choose which hospital treats me?

By choosing a hospital with which you feel comfortable and confident you can be sure that it will meet all your needs and not just the clinical needs set out by your GP.

What if I don€™t want to choose?

You do not have to make the decision yourself. If you prefer, your GP can still make the choice for you and recommend a hospital for your treatment.

Which hospital should I choose?

The hospitals you can choose from will depend on the type of specialist you need to see. Our choice information pages show you which hospitals carry out the treatment you need and give other details to help you make a choice that best suits you.

You might want to think about how you will get to hospital or who might pick you up when your treatment has finished. If you are going to be in hospital for a while, do you want to be close to family and friends? You may also want to think about how quickly you want to be treated. Would you be willing to travel further away if it meant that you could be treated more quickly? Alternatively, you may have a different priority, for example, a hospital€™s cleanliness or its location.