The NHS and You

information in british sign language format

This information is for anyone who uses the NHS in any part of
Scotland. It tells you what you can expect from the NHS, and what the NHS expects of you.

What can I expect from the NHS in Scotland?

The NHS in Scotland will:

help you stay healthy, and
care for you if you become ill.

The NHS in Scotland will provide a safe, high quality service designed to meet the needs of patients and their carers and families.

You can expect the NHS in Scotland to:

Services for everyone

The NHS in Scotland will:

provide services based on your health or medical need, not your ability to pay. Most NHS services are free but there may be charges for some things, for example for dental services, and
treat you with dignity and respect, no matter what your race, sex, age, sexual orientation, faith, political beliefs or disability.

Safe, high quality health care

The NHS in Scotland will:

provide the best care and treatment they can, within the resources available to them
make sure that everyone working in the NHS has the right training and skills for their job, and
provide care and treatment in a safe and clean setting.

Responding to your needs

The NHS in Scotland will provide health services which take account of your needs and, as far as possible, your preferences.
If you are worried about parts of your care (for example, because of your culture or beliefs), please discuss this with NHS staff. They will respect your views and help in any way they can.
If it helps you, and you give your permission, staff will involve your carers, partner or family in decisions about your care.

Communicating with you

NHS staff will talk with you about your health and any care you might need.
If you need tests or treatment, staff will explain any choices to you, including the risks and benefits of each option.
Staff will give you information in a way that you can understand (for example in a language other than English).
If you need an interpreter or a sign-language interpreter, or have other special communication needs, the NHS in Scotland will arrange help for you if it can.
If you want a carer, a family member, a partner or a friend to support you or help you tell staff your views, they will welcome this help.
If you want someone else to support you or help you give your views for example an independent advocate, staff in the NHS can help you arrange this.

Involving you in decisions about your care

You have the right to accept or refuse any treatment, examination, test, screening or diagnostic procedure (a test to find the cause of an illness or medical condition).
You can ask for a second opinion at any time during your care.
If you want to have someone else present when a health care worker examines you, please let staff know. This could be a friend, a relative, a partner, a carer, another health care worker, or an independent advocate.
If you have any preferences about future treatment, please tell NHS staff. Then if you cannot make decisions for yourself in the future, they will take your wishes into account.
For hospital appointments, you can be involved in choosing which hospital you go to and which specialist treats you. You have to discuss your choices with your GP and your choice may be limited. If so, staff will explain it to you.
Sometimes NHS staff may treat you without your agreement, for example:

in an emergency if you cannot tell them what you want
if you are an adult who cannot make decisions for yourself or tell staff your decisions (this is known as ‘incapacity’)
if you are being treated under the Mental Health Act, or
if you are under the age of 16 and cannot understand what the treatment involves or tell staff what you want. In these cases your parent or guardian can give consent for you.

You have the right to be involved in decisions about your care and treatment. See our information on consent, 'Consent- it's your decision'.

Giving you information

The NHS in Scotland will give you information about local health services.
High quality information on health conditions, your rights and healthy living will be available in a format to suit you.
You will be told the names of the staff responsible for your care and how to contact them.
If you are about to leave after a stay in hospital, staff will send your GP written information about your stay in hospital. Staff will let you see this information and give you a copy if you want.
You will be given a copy of any letters, faxes or emails written by NHS staff about your care and treatment if you ask for them.
You will be given information about how to give NHS staff feedback- compliments, comments or complaints.

Keeping your information safe

In the NHS, staff have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
Staff will keep accurate and up-to-date records of the care you receive. These records are written on paper, held on computer, or both, and are stored securely in different parts of the NHS.
In the future, the NHS in Scotland will store more and more of your health information on computer. This will make it easier for NHS staff to find information about you so that you get the care you need, wherever you are.
If you use NHS services, you will be given your own identifying number called a Community Health Index number (CHI, for short). Whenever possible, staff will include your CHI number on any records they keep about your care. It makes it easier for NHS staff to find the right medical information about you and to give you the best possible care.
You have the right to know how the NHS in Scotland uses, shares and protects your personal health information. Tell staff if you don't want your health information to be passed to other staff. For more information, see our information called "Confidentiality – it’s your right".
You have the right to see your health records and, if you choose, to have a copy. To find out about this, see our information called "How to see your health records".

Working together and with others

All parts of the NHS will work together to make sure your care is co-ordinated and consistent.
The NHS will work closely with other organisations that are involved in providing care and support in the community.

Working with you to help you stay healthy

The NHS in Scotland will:

give you information and advice on how to stay as healthy as possible, and support and encourage you in doing this, and
offer you the opportunity to take part in screening and programmes to prevent illness.

Working with you to improve our services

The NHS in Scotland will:

make decisions about changes to services in an open and honest way, and
involve patients, carers and members of the public in making decisions about services To find out more about how the NHS is involving people in your area in decisions about NHS services, or to get involved contact your local health board.
use your comments and complaints to improve services.

Comments and complaints

The NHS welcomes any comments on the care you have received, good or bad.
The NHS will tell you what will happen as a result of any complaints you make.
If you have any concerns about your care or NHS services, discussing them with NHS staff involved in your care can often help.

On this site, you can find out what to do if you are not happy about any part of your care.

Page last edited: 25 March 2011

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