Patients' Rights & Responsibilities

The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 advises that once a patient has been diagnosed as requiring inpatient or day case treatment and has agreed to that treatment, that patient’s treatment must start within a maximum of 12 weeks of the treatment having been agreed.

 You need to know how it affects your hospital care in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde including:

• a treatment time guarantee
• what is a reasonable offer of an appointment?
• what your responsibilities are
• how to complain, make a comment or suggestion
• how to contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS)

The Act was passed by the Parliament in February 2011 and gained Royal Assent in March 2011. The Act aims to improve patients' experiences of using health services and to support people to become more involved in their health and health care.

Further information and fact sheets on all aspects of the Act are available from NHS Inform.