From today patients who need hospital treatment have the right to exercise choice over where and when they go to see a specialist.

For the first time, patients have the right to be offered the choice of at least four hospitals or clinics when they need further treatment.

Factors patients will be able to take into consideration when they make their choice include waiting times, MRSA rates and the number of cancelled operations.

Patients living in the Bradford district will be able to choose from a number of different locations including: Eccleshill Treatment Centre, Westwood Park Diagnostic and Treatment Centre in Cooper Lane, Bradford, or hospitals managed by Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Airedale NHS Trust, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Harrogate and District NHS Trust, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, East Lancashire NHS Trust and the private provider Capio Yorkshire Clinic in Cottingley.

A spokesman for the four Primary Care Trusts in the Bradford district said patients would be offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment.

"There are different ways patients can be offered choice - it may be that their GP discusses the hospital choices with them while they are still in the surgery or they may be referred to a clinical assessment service to see whether their treatment can be carried out by primary care specialists even closer to home," she said.

"Whichever route patients take, they will be given a booklet explaining their choices and giving basic information about the hospitals available.

"Once a referral is made the patient will receive a letter from their chosen hospital or treatment centre inviting them to book an appointment at a date convenient to them."

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "Choice is now a reality in the NHS. Patients have new rights over their own healthcare. These rights will allow patients to choose services which best meet their individual needs."

The Department of Health has pledged that by 2008 patients will be able to choose from any hospital or provider that meets NHS standards at NHS costs.

Also published today are the findings of a survey into attitudes towards choice. The survey was carried out by MORI for the Department of Health. Findings include: l Sixty-eight per cent of people aged 40 and over would choose a non-local NHS hospital within their Strategic Health Authority if it could deliver treatment in half the time of their nearest NHS provider.

l Most are happy to go to either an NHS or a private provider if assurances are met over minimum standards.

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