Hospitals
If you and your doctor decide that you need to see a specialist for further treatment, you can choose where to have your treatment from a list of at least four local hospitals or clinics. If you do not want to make the decision yourself your GP can choose for you but there are many advantages in being involved in decisions about your healthcare. You might want to choose a hospital close to where you or your family live so they can visit you regularly or one with the shortest waiting list. Some hospitals will have more appropriate specialists for your condition or you may want a hospital which has had good patient feedback. Being referred to a hospital does not necessarily mean that you have to stay at the hospital. Most hospitals provide 'outpatient' services where people visit the hospital during the day but continue to live at home.
If you would like to be involved in choosing the hospital or clinic, The NHS website www.nhs.uk provides information on all the hospitals in your area and you are able to easily compare the services they offer. Once you have had a chance to have a look and compare, talk it over with your family and GP and make the final decision together. The final decision however is yours and if you feel strongly that you want to attend a particular hospital then the GP must refer you there, as long as it was one of the hospitals on the list you were given and it provides the services you need.
