A fair range of choice: justifying maximum patient choice in the British National Health Service.
In this paper I put forward an ethical argument for the provision of extensive patient choice by the British National Health Service. I base this argument on traditional liberal rights to freedom of choice, on a welfare right to health care, and on a view of health as values-based. I argue that choice, to be ethically sustainable on this basis, must be values-based and rational. I also consider whether the British taxpayer may be persuadable with regard to the moral acceptability of patient choice, making use of Rawls' theory of political liberalism in this context. I identify issues that present problems in terms of public acceptance of choice, and also identify a boundary issue with regard to public health choices as against individual choices.
Wilmot
Stephen
S
Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1 GB, UK. S.Wilmot@derby.ac.uk
D003163:Competitive Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009014:Morals; D028701:Patient Rights; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011634:Public Health; D011640:Public Policy; D012935:Social Justice; D012946:Social Welfare; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom