NHS 'you choose' advert banned for being misleading

Apr 29 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal

AN ADVERT telling North East patients they could choose their own hospital has been banned by watchdogs. The Advertising Standards Agency ruled the claim – which is one of the key planks of the Government’s health strategy – could not be substantiated.

They issued the ruling after a complaint by a GP.

The press advertisements and posters put out by NHS North East told readers they could choose the date and time of their hospital appointment as well as choosing from any NHS hospital and some private ones.

But the ASA said that because the NHS could not prove that most patients would be able to exercise their choice in practise they could not make the claims. They ruled that the advert could not be shown in the same form again.

Patient choice of hospital and appointment time is a key part of government policy.