patient's charter

patient's charter

A document produced by the Department of Health in 1992, and revised in 1995, that affirms the Government's acknowledgement of certain rights for patients (see PATIENTS' RIGHTS) and its expectations of the achieving of certain standards in patient care. The charter deals with such matters as waiting list times for surgery; waiting times for outpatient appointments after referral; waiting times in routine clinics and in Accident and Emergency Departments; waiting times for provision of a bed after a decision to admit to hospital.