The NHS Alliance has welcomed the Department of Health's new website, NHS Choices (www.nhs), which is being launched this week.

"This is another step towards helping patients to get the information they need. We believe patients should be empowered to make their own decisions and NHS Choices can be yet another avenue for them to find out about GP practices and hospitals in their local area," said Michael Sobanja, chief executive of the NHS Alliance.

He added: "However, we must ensure that the information given to patients is absolutely accurate and that the website is easy to use and works effectively. Only then it could become an invaluable source of information for patients."

The NHS Alliance also believes that patient feedback is extremely important and that by allowing patients to post comments on their hospital experience, to which hospitals will have the opportunity to reply, the site can potentially create a healthy forum for discussion.

Dr Michael Dixon, chair of the NHS Alliance, said: "NHS Choices will also offer patients in-depth information on various different conditions and problems with advice from experts and views of patients, which can help people manage and improve their own health."

The NHS Alliance is the independent body that represents primary care. Its membership includes PCTs, GP practices and other primary care organisations. Individual members include clinicians, managers and non-executives. The Alliance's multi-professional base means it is the only organisation that is able to bring PCTs and practices together.

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