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Under the SNP, 100% of Fife patients referred by a GP or dentist
for an outpatient appointment are waiting less than 12 weeks.
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Under the SNP, 100% of Fife patients referred by a GP or dentist
for inpatient/day case treatment are waiting less than 12 weeks.
Rod
Campbell, SNP prospective parliamentary candidate for Fife North East,
has expressed his delight at figures which show real progress in reducing patient waiting times for NHS Fife.
“This is solid evidence that voting SNP delivers results. All Fife NHS patients are
now waiting less than twelve weeks for an outpatient appointment or inpatient and day case treatment.” said Rod Campbell.
“In addition, a legal waiting time guarantee and a legal right to
complain are to be introduced under a new package of measures to improve patients' rights.
"Putting patients' rights into law will send out a strong signal to patients, healthcare workers
and NHS Scotland that patients should be at the heart of everything the health service does.
"Introducing a legal waiting time guarantee and setting up a patient advice service demonstrate the
importance we place on creating an NHS which has patients at its centre.
"Patients'
rights are of paramount importance and they should be given the prominence and priority that primary legislation affords.
The bill will ensure that patients recognise their rights and have independent support and advice to ensure these are met.
"It is absolutely right that patients know what they can expect from their health service
and know what recourse they have if they do not get care and treatment delivered in the way they are entitled to.
"By introducing a right to make a complaint, we aim to simplify the process and help
to place the patient at the centre of this, with the reassurance that if they have concerns about care or services, they are
exercising their legal right in raising a complaint.
"The bill is one
of a range of measures we are taking forward such as the Quality Strategy, the Patient Experience Programme and elected health
boards which will improve patients' experience of the NHS and make them partners in their own care."
Additional Notes
The Treatment Time
Guarantee will ensure that patients start treatment within 12 weeks of the treatment being agreed. This will cover planned
and elective care that is carried out on an inpatient or day case basis.
The Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS)
will be staffed by Patient Rights Officers who will help and support patients to make complaints, provide information about
health services and direct patients to other types of support such as advocacy. Health boards will have a duty to direct patients
making a complaint to PASS and to ensure an adequate complaints process is in place.
Funding of £1.5 million will
also be given to assess need and provide additional advocacy services over three years, while the further development of translation,
interpreting and communication services will be boosted by £750,000 over the same period.
Measures in the Patient
Rights (Scotland) Bill include:
- A 12-week
treatment time guarantee
- Establishment of a
patient advice and support service
- Bringing
in a legal right to complain
