Weak constitution?
The NHS constitution was today unveiled, two years after it was first suggested. The document sets out the rights and responsibilities of the patient. Critics have been quick to speak out against the constitution, claiming that it tells us nothing new.
The content itself may not be new – but the message it sends certainly is. Information on patients’ rights is of little value if it is hard to find and hard to read. This constitution aims to provide a ‘one stop shop’, where patients and NHS staff can easily access and understand the rights and responsibilities of the patient. It provides a foundation for true patient empowerment, by increasing the transparency of the system, and thus its accountability. It is an exciting step away from the traditional paternalistic doctor-patient relationship, towards a more sustainable and mutually satisfying partnership model.
But as Mike Sobanja of the NHS alliance points out “If it remains a piece of paper, it won’t help – action not words will bring it alive.”
Hear for yourself - The R4 Today Programme with Alan Johnson.
Surely we don’ t need another document! that will sit centrally. At what point will patients be considered customers, and the DoH consider using primary care as a channel to communicate to its patients. I would love to get an understanding about how this is going to be implemented.
February 1st, 2009 | 9:24pm
by Dr. No
What is to implement, the idea is patients have clarity on rights and responsibilities. As Spiderman’s grandfather once said. “With power comes great responsibility”. As patients look to have more control, more knowledge, more information, (more power) they need to accept the chorally to that. Is this a master stroke, or a sop? Time will tell
February 2nd, 2009 | 2:00pm
by Daniel Mann