PATIENTS at Warrington Hospital are set to have more rights and new roles with the introduction of the new NHS plan.

The plan, launched in July last year outlines a number of reforms including more information for patients, greater patient choice, patient advocates and advisers in every hospital, redress over cancelled operations, patients forums and citizens panels in every area, stronger regulation of professional standards as well as a new national panel to advise on major reorganisation of hospitals.

Work is already in progress for a touch screen kiosk to be installed in the main entrance of the hospital which will offer information about the hospital and its services and will include information leaflets on clinical conditions.

From next year the hospital must ensure if a patients operation is cancelled on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the patient must be offered a new date within 28 days or the surgery must be funded privately by the hospital.