The NHS constitution

Patient care at the Royal Free

Staff at our three London hospitals, Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, want to ensure that the time you spend with us is as pleasant and well organised as possible. We aim to provide world-class expertise with local care. 

To help deliver this, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is fully committed to the NHS Constitution and its requirements for the delivery of NHS treatment. Under the constitution, all hospital patients have a right to start treatment with a medical consultant within 18 weeks of the date you are referred to hospital by your doctor. Read further information about NHS waiting times at the Royal Free.

Patient choice: ensuring we meet our requirements

We work with our neighbouring hospitals to ensure that you are given NHS treatment within 18 weeks. We have arranged to do this so that we can provide the best possible patient experience and meet the requirements of the NHS Constitution. This means you could ask to have your operation at one of our neighbouring hospitals, with an alternative clinician, if you wish.

High quality healthcare: the NHS constitution

As well as a commitment to providing healthcare services within a certain time, the NHS constitution outlines the rights and responsibilities of hospital staff, patients and the public and the NHS’s pledges to them.

Above all, it defines the rights of every patient to NHS services, and sets out information on the quality of the healthcare you will receive. It also outlines the NHS belief in patient choice: your right to choose where you receive healthcare. 
 
For more information on the NHS Constitution and your patient care, please visit the NHS Constitution webpage. 

PALS NHS: Speak to someone about your rights

If you have any concerns about your medical treatment before, during or after your visit to one of our hospitals, please contact our patient advice and liaison service (PALS). A member of the PALS team will work with you to try to resolve the problem and advise you of your rights under the NHS Constitution. PALS may be contacted on 020 7472 6447. Read about the work our PALS NHS team does to help improve the patient experience.