Patients Rights & Responsibilities
Patients have the right
- To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.
- To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.
- To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.
- In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.
- Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age.
- To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.
- To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.
- To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.
- To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.
- To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.
- To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.
- To access to their own health records.
- To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.
- To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.
- To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.
- To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.
- To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.
- To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.
- To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.
- To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.
Patient Responsibilities
- To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.
- To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.
- To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.
- To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.
- To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their Clinician if they find this difficult.
- To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.
- To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.
- To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.