The NHS Confederation believes that health services need to be responsive to the individual needs and lifestyles of patients and that patient experience is central to improvements in quality and design of services in the future.

The NHS Confederation is delighted to have been active in the development of the Department of Health's choice framework which is due to be published early this year.

The framework will set out principles for choice which have already been discussed with the service. It will include national offers to patients of choice which will sit alongside local offers made through local commissioning decisions.

We believe choice is a key part of the Government's health reform agenda and that the principles and national offers will support primary care trusts in local prioritisation.

However, we continue to meet regularly with the Department of Health on this subject and to be engaged in the process of influencing the framework. We will also be active in the consultation that will follow its publication and in communicating its contents to our members.

NHS Confederation representation

We are part of the national reference group on the development of the choice framework.

How we involve members

We actively work with members to capture ideas on choice. We hold specific seminars and meetings to inform our policy positions - invitations either appear in our email bulletin Interchange Alert or are sent out individually. We have regular meetings bringing together key stakeholders with NHS Confederation members looking at the development of choice in the future.

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