NHS patients to be offered the chance to travel for treatment
From today, any patient who has been waiting longer than 40 weeks and does not have an appointment within the next 8 weeks will be contacted by their hospital via letter, text, or email, as announced by the NHS and government earlier this year.
How will it work?
If you're eligible, the NHS will contact you, and you will be able to submit your details including how far you're willing to travel – 50 miles, 100 miles or nationally.
NHS teams can then identify whether any alternative hospitals have capacity to see them sooner.
It is estimated that approximately 400,000 patients (5% of the overall waiting list) meet the criteria and will be contacted by their hospital.
If no alternative hospital is agreed with the patient within 8 weeks of starting the process, the patient will remain with their current hospital and keep their position on the waiting list. Some patients will not be eligible if their clinical condition is too complex, making it inappropriate to travel.
If you're eligible, you'll be contacted directly by their your NHS trust (or independent sector provider). There's no need to contact your GP or hospital directly.
