13.06.13
Patients can choose consultants in new transparency drive
A Manchester trust is to publish data on consultants’ results, allowing patients to choose who delivers their care. University Hospital of South Manchester Trust will publish data on results in relation to national standards, as well as what their patients have said about them.
The scheme will begin with data on cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, will all data available by December. Doctors will be assessed in real time, allowing patients to see the latest results and reviews.
Cardiac surgeon Ben Bridgewater, who helped create the new system, said it would allow “weaknesses to be improved so that we can give our patients the best possible service and outcome”.
The trust worked with the think tank Picker Institute Europe to develop the system.
Chairman Sir Donald Irvine said: “People have a right to know how good their doctors are – and reviews of performance should take account of the views and experience of other patients.”
The chair of the British Medical Association's consultants committee, Dr Paul Flynn, added: “Whereas there are already robust ways of comparing performance in specialties such as cardiothoracic surgery, in other areas it is much harder to gather data that will be meaningful to patients.
“It is critical that any information provided is accurate and in context - if not, it will be misleading and cause unnecessary anxiety to patients.”
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