A Bradford primary care trust is among the worst in the country for offering patients a choice of hospital for their treatment, according to new figures.

Bradford City Teaching PCT, which is now part of Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT, is one of the bottom three Primary Care Trusts in England for offering patient choice.

Only eight per cent of patients were given a choice over which hospital to attend, even though since January 1, NHS patients have been allowed to choose between at least four hospitals for an operation.

The latest figures from a Mori poll, commissioned by the Department of Health, show only 30 per cent of patients across England were offered a choice of hospital in their first outpatient appointment in May and June. Only 29 per cent of patients knew they had a choice and of those who were offered choice, only 20 per cent were given an information booklet.

The best performing primary care trust in the district was Bradford South and West with 44 per cent of patients offered a choice.

In Airedale Primary Care Trust 20 per cent were offered choice and in North Bradford PCT it was 17 per cent.

Health Minister Lord Warner conceded the figures were not good enough.

He said: "This is the first in a series of surveys that shows how well PCTs are offering choice for patients.

"In 14 PCTs at least 60 per cent were offered a choice by their GP for their first hospital appointment. These PCTs proved that choice can work.

"However, some PCTs have performed less well and this has brought down the national average to 30 per cent - this is not good enough and we will need to support these PCTs to improve."

Sue Nguyen, interim director of Diagnostic & Treatment Services at Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT, said: "Bradford and Airedale tPCT is committed to offering choice to patients about where they have treatment.

"We commission a range of high quality services to support this and we are offering training and encouragement to GPs in the district to make choice a reality for patients.

"Above all I would encourage patients to ask their GP about their choices when they are being referred to consultants for treatment.

"This is the first survey about patient choice, looking back to offers of choice by GPs prior to May 2006. Two further surveys have been done since this time and we are optimistic that the results for Bradford will show an ongoing improvement."

e-mail: claire.lomax@bradford.newsquest.co.uk