The health department believes putting patients in control of their own care will lead to innovation and competition, with patients 'seeking novel ways' to meet their needs

Local MP responds To patients' concerns about catering inadequacy. Patients at Southampton General Hospital are voicing their concerns following a change to catering arrangements earlier this month. According to current patients the new contractor – Medirest - is unable to provide meals at regular times, serving different meals to what the patients have ordered, producing food to a sub-...

Improving the public's ability to understand complex health information empowers patients and cuts down on medication errors. With MEPs currently debating the Information to Patients Directive, health literacy has never been more important.

Liz Kendall MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Care and Older People, commenting on today's report from the Patients Association, said:

Kidney dialysis patients are getting more involved in their care.

Some patients will soon be able to choose where they buy their healthcare using money paid to them directly, the government announced today.

The Government seems to be getting bolder in taking on the medical establishment. The Health Minister Ben Bradshaw has stated that in some areas, GPs are operating gentlemen's agreements not to take on each other's patients: in effect, they are refusing to allow patients any real choice in local primary care by refusing to allow them to switch to a different surgery (which they regard as "patient ...

The government is today expected to make an announcement on whether patients will be able to "top up" their NHS care with private treatments. Patients in England are currently excluded from the NHS if they pay for treatment not available on the health service. However, some areas apply the rules more stringently than others – it emerged last month that about 1,000 patients a year are already...

This week we have made it possible for the first time for patients to choose not only where they are treated but which consultant-led team treats them.

Patients with long-term conditions will get free prescriptions under plans announced by Gordon Brown today.