It provides some. "Choose and Book" was introduced in 2004, and converted into e-referral in 2014, and it means you get a choice for most elective surgery.

https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/appointment-booking/Pages/abou...

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/05/choose-and-book/

Most people don't have enough information to make a sensible choice; and they don't understand the information they've got.