Choice on the buses

Solihull NHS Care Trust and Birmingham East and North Primary Care Trust have launched a four month advertising campaign for patient choice and Choose and Book.

The campaign, which started this week, will see advertisements placed on 124 buses, 85 bus stops and 48 billboards along major bus routes in the area.

The two organisations say the aim of the campaign is to raise local awareness of choice and the electronic booking system, following the introduction of a “free choice” of hospital provider in April this year.

"The campaign is about why people might chose somewhere other than their local hospital," said Sarah Brown, Solihull’s commissioning manager for choice and Choose and Book.

"The artwork suggests ‘I want the hospital with the shortest waiting times’ or ‘I want great food’ or ‘I want a hospital with a good reputation’.

"At this stage, we want to attract people’s attention, which is why we chose to advertise on buses. We thought that while people are out and about over the summer they would see them."

The two primary care trusts are planning to follow up the ads with a more detailed information campaign that will include more detail about Choose and Book as a vehicle for exercising choice

To date, 946,633 patients in the West Midlands have been booked through Choose and Book into a range of specialities including general surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics and dermatology.

The PCTs say “feedback has been very positive” and that patients have received treatment “much quicker.”