Hospitals, care homes and GP surgeries could be legally required to display their Care Quality Commission ratings to help patients make more informed choices about where they go for care.

Following the Francis inquiry, the government announced that health and care organisations would receive “Ofsted style” ratings - outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate - and now officials want these ratings to be clearly displayed for all patients to see.

At present, people can delve into information about their provider by looking into detailed reports published on the CQC website. But not all patients have access to the internet and others may not research how well their hospital is performing prior to a visit.

The Department of Health said the public should have “ready access” to this information as it launched a consultation making it a legal requirement for hospitals, GPs and care homes to publish their CQC rating in a visible place, such as at the entrance or in waiting rooms.

The move aims to mirror similar practices already in use by hotels, schools and restaurants, a DH spokesman said.

Organisations may also be forced to publish their rating online with a link to the full CQC inspection report.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Putting the scores on the doors will help to inform people’s choices, celebrate clinical success and drive up standards of care.”

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