A Scottish Executive Consultation Document
The UNISON Scotland Response
June 2003
Executive Summary
UNISON Scotland is supportive of the proposal to publish a
statement of patient rights and we welcome the Executive's commitment
to modernise NHS Scotland by designing services around the needs
of patients and their carers and families. UNISON Scotland believes
that the NHS in Scotland must listen and respond to patients
if it is to develop into an effective and efficient patient
centred service.
UNISON Scotland believes that patients and other users of the
NHS in Scotland should be the focus of the service, not as ‘customers'
but as partners with rights and responsibilities and an entitlement
to be treated with dignity and respect. We also believe that
patients should have a greater role in the clinical decision
making process, which directly effects the treatment and care
that they are afforded by the NHS in Scotland.
UNISON Scotland believes that in order for the NHS to be able
to transform itself into an patient centred Health Service staff
must be supported, empowered and valued to a greater extent
than has been done in the past. UNISON Scotland is pleased therefore
that the Executive has outlined plans in the White Paper ‘Partnership
for Care' for a greater level of staff involvement in decisions
surrounding service delivery.
UNISON Scotland believes that greater emphasis needs to be
placed on the need for cultural change within the NHS in Scotland
if the Executive's commitment to shape NHS services to fit the
needs of individuals is to be achieved. NHS users already posses
legal rights but many lack awareness of how to exercise them
effectively. UNISON Scotland believes that this will continue
unless the Executive promotes cultural as well as structural
changes within NHS Scotland.
UNISON Scotland broadly welcomes both the draft statement on
patient rights and the draft information leaflet on accessing
health records. We believe the content of both to be comprehensive
in nature, setting out in sufficient detail the kind of information
which patients and their families will find helpful in their
dealings with the NHS.
Introduction
UNISON is Scotland's biggest health union representing thousands
of NHS staff throughout the country. Our members include nursing,
ancillary and clerical staff, all of whom the NHS depends upon
to ensure the safe and effective functioning of the Health Service
in Scotland.
This paper constitutes UNISON Scotland's response to the consultation
document issued by the Scottish Executive entitled: ‘Patient
Rights and Responsibilities'
Background
The consultation document entitled ‘Patients Rights and Responsibilities'
sets out what patients have a right to expect from the health
service in Scotland and how they can access their health records.
The document also gives instructions on what patients and the
public must do if they wish to comment or make a complaint regarding
the service they have received from the NHS.
In summary it provides information on:
- How to comment on your care
- What happens when you leave hospital
- How to find about standards for particular treatments e.g.
kidney disease
- Guaranteed waiting times
- How to get involved in improving services in your local
area
The proposals set out in the Annex ‘How to Access Your
Health Records' explains to patients their legal right
to view their health record and any medical reports concerning
them, including reports undertaken for an insurance company
or employer. The leaflet describes what constitutes a health
record, gives details on how to apply to see the records and
how to complain if there are any problems with the way a patients
application has been dealt with.
Responses
- Does the draft statement give you enough information
on your rights and responsibilities when being treated in
the Health Service?
UNISON Scotland welcomes the Executive's commitment to providing
a Health Service, which is safe and of high quality and that
is designed around the needs of patients and their carers and
families.
UNISON Scotland believes that the draft statement is one, which
will be welcomed by the overwhelming majority of those who use
the NHS in Scotland. We believe the content of the statement
to be comprehensive in nature, setting out in sufficient detail
the kind of information which patients and their families will
find helpful in their dealings with the NHS.
However, UNISON Scotland also believes that the publication
of a national patients charter, containing as it will NHS pledges
relating to standards ofcare and guaranteed waiting times, has
the potential to raise false expectations amongst service users.
UNISON Scotland firmly believes that the Executive must continue
to commit additional resources to the NHS in Scotland to ensure
that it is able to meet its pledges to patients and to transform
itself into a patient centred service.
2. Do you feel the draft statement is easy to understand?
UNISON Scotland believes the draft statement to be uncomplicated
and straightforward.
3. Did you find the information on "your rights" useful? Is
there any information which you think should be added to or taken
out of this section of the draft?
UNISON Scotland believes the section entitled ‘your rights'
contains practical information, which will be of real value
in raising awareness of basic rights within the large patient
body served by the NHS in Scotland.
However, UNISON Scotland also believes that a lack of knowledge
in relation to patient's basic rights is matched by widespread
ignorance amongst patients on how to exercise these rights effectively.
As such, UNISON Scotland would like to see the statement contain
information that not only raises awareness of these rights but
also assists patients in how to exercise these rights effectively.
4. Did you find the information on "your responsibilities"
useful?
Is there any information which you think should be added
to or taken out of this section of the draft?
UNISON Scotland believes the section entitled ‘your responsibilities'
contains practical information, which will be of value in raising
awareness amongst the patient body of their responsibilities
towards the NHS.
UNISON Scotland believes that highly trained and motivated
staff who are ‘fit for purpose' are the greatest resource within
the NHS and need to be valued within the organisations where
they work. As such, UNISON Scotland is pleased to see the draft
statement include a section on patient's responsibility to treat
staff with consideration and respect.
UNISON Scotland recognises that as a result of certain illnesses,
aggressive violence can occur, however what we are not prepared
to tolerate is disrespect of NHS staff by some members of the
public. As such we would urge the statement to go further and
to spell out to patients the likely sanctions which will be
brought against them if they are involved in violent incidents
against NHS staff.
5. Does the information in the draft leaflet ‘How to see
your health records' give you enough information on your rights
in this area?
Is there any information which you think should be added
to or taken out of this section of the draft?
We believe the content of the draft leaflet to be comprehensive
in nature, covering all the main points and setting out in sufficient
detail the kind of information which patients will find helpful
in their dealings with the NHS.
6. Do you feel that the draft leaflet is easy to understand?
If you answered no to this, please explain how the leaflet
could be made easier to understand.
As stated previously, UNISON Scotland believes the draft leaflet
to be sufficiently comprehensive in terms of explaining patient's
rights of access to their health records and we view the draft
leaflet as uncomplicated and straightforward.
