25th February 2010

DORSET: Views sought on additions to the NHS constitution

PUBLISHED in January 2009, the NHS Constitution describes the values and principals of the NHS and sets out a series of commitments it should live up to along with rights of its patients.

These include access to timely and relevant care along with screening and vaccination programmes that it is recommended you should receive.

A public consultation was launched on November 10th 2009 asking if further rights should be added in the future. These are:

the right to choose to die at home;

the right to access to NHS dentistry;

the right to personal health budgets;

the right to choose a GP practice offering extended access to evening and weekend appointments; and

the right to key diagnostic tests for suspected cancer patients within one week of seeing a GP, with an interim milestone of two weeks.

Under new proposals, everyone aged 40 to 74 will have the right to have an NHS Health Check every five years to assess their risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Patients will also have legal rights to maximum waiting times for elective procedures and urgent cancer referrals. If the NHS is unable to provide care quickly enough, it will have to take all reasonable steps to provide alternatives.

Views are being sought nationally on these proposals and local people are being reminded that the deadline to make their views known is Friday February 5th.

Jacqueline Swift is Chair of NHS Dorset, she said “NHS Dorset is already committed to the existing rights and pledges detailed in the NHS Constitution and welcomes opinions and feedback from people across the county on the new proposals.

Everyone has a role to play in shaping the success of future healthcare and by working together we can make the best use of available resources to keep Dorset well both mentally and physically”.

More information and links to the consultation feedback can be found at the NHS Dorset website www.dorset.nhs.uk or via email NHSConstitution@dh.gsi.gov.uk

DORSET: Views sought on additions to the NHS constitution

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