Does quality affect patients’ choice of doctor? Evidence from the UK

Recent and planned policy changes in the NHS, including the abolition of the Medical Practices Committee, revised tendering arrangements for new practices, readily available information on practices via NHS Choices, and letting patients register with any practice, will increase potential competition amongst general practices. Since practices cannot compete on price they may compete on the quality they offer to patients. A necessary condition for greater competition to improve quality is that patient choice of practice is affected by practice quality.