Your health

More information will become available on this section as we move across information from our old website. Please check back soon for more additions to this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Staff FAQs Last updated on 22/2/22
• Staff Testing FAQs Last updated on 20/05/20
• COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs Last updated on 14/01/21
• Vaccine PGDs can be accessed via The Public Health Protection Unit (PHPU)
• Updated Guidance – Managing Staff Symptoms
• Removal of COVID Policies Summary FAQs

What Are Your Right When Using the NHS?

By law, the healthcare you receive should:

• Consider your needs
• Consider what would most benefit your health and wellbeing
• Encourage you to take part in decisions about your health and wellbeing and provide you with the information and support to do so.

You also have the right to give feedback, comments, raise concerns or complaints about the care you have received. 

Patient Advice & Support Service

The Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) offers free advice and support to all NHS Scotland patients. You can get in touch with PASS through their online contact form or by calling 0800 917 2127 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm).

In addition to helping you understand your rights as a patient, PASS will help you

• Share your feedback or comments
• Access your medical and clinical records
• Make complaints about healthcare experiences.

What Will You Be Asked When Using the NHS?

The more we know about our patients – not just medical information but individual needs and preferences – the better the service we can provide. This is not just about gathering information – it is about making sure we are working with individuals, families and communities, rather then just providing identical treatment for everyone.

By law, we are asked to collect patient information on age, sex, disability, ethnicity, religion / belief and sexual orientation. This personal information is collected by staff in NHS hospitals, GP surgeries and other health centres. It is then used to ensure we are meeting the needs of our patient groups and for planning future services.

You might wonder why you are asked for some additional personal information. We know that a patient’s health is often affected by good or bad things happening in their lives. Most patients don’t know that it is helpful for us to know about these things or won’t feel comfortable bringing such matters up themselves. For this reason, our staff in many services are asking all patients about social circumstances that may be affecting your health or preventing you from getting the best out of the treatment we are offering.

For example, staff might ask whether you have money worries, trouble finding work, problems at home or in your relationships, or if you feel you are being treated badly or unfairly, for example because you belong to a particular ethnic group, have a disability, or because of your sexual orientation.

It is up to you what you choose to tell staff when they ask about these things. Sometimes, if you want us to, we can share the information with other services or people so that you can get support or help in dealing with the issue.

Further Information

• The Charter of Patients Rights & Responsibilities – NHS Scotland

Contact Form

If you have questions or comments regarding NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s work on equality issues, please contact us using the form below.

Please be aware that this is a general inbox.

Human Rights Laws in Scotland

The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in October 2000. It is one of the main ways that internationally-recognised human rights are given legal effect in the UK. The Act has a 20-year track record of delivering justice and rights for all, including for some of the most vulnerable people in society. 

The Act means that vitally important safeguards set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) are available to everyone. In particular, all public organisations, such as NHSGGC, must act in accordance with the rights of the Convention.

The second Scottish National Action Plan on Human Rights was published in 2022. The Scottish Government, Public Sector organisations and charities have increased the focus on human rights due to issues arising from the pandemic, welfare reform, austerity and the recession.

Human rights to health, non-discrimination, food, fuel, income, employment, shelter, safety, relationships and citizenship are at risk for many people. 

What are my human rights? mygov.scot

NHSGGC and Human Rights

NHSGGC has incorporated human rights as an integral part of:

• Equality Impact Assessments of strategies, policies, service redesigns, service developments and cost savings
• Key NHSGGC resources for patients
• Staff training

There are also a range of specific actions around implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in NHSGGC. The Convention sets out the essential rights of all children. The UNCRC Bill became law in Scotland in 2024 and is used as a framework to ensure that we consider children and young people’s rights whenever we make decisions that may impact on them.   NHSGGC has incorporated the principles of the new law into our Equality Impact Assessments which are used to ensure our services and policies are meeting the requirements of equality law.

Useful Resources

Scottish Human Rights Commission health and social care case studies 

Public Health Scotland Health inequalities: Human rights and the right to health 

The Alliance: Being Human – a human rights based approach to health and social care 

Documents

Children’s version of the Convention on the Rights of the Child | UNICEF

Human Rights and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

Human Rights & Healthcare

Protected Characteristics

• Age
• Disability
• Gender Reassignment
• Marriage & Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy & Maternity
• Race & Ethnicity
• Religion or Belief
• Sex & Gender
• Sexual Orientation

Marginalised Groups

For some groups of people, a combination of factors such as discrimination, prejudice, stigma and life circumstances, steadily increase their risk of poor health.

Some groups are protected by equality laws. Many use health services where their additional needs can be met through Inequalities Sensitive Practice.

Some groups cross over into the protected characteristics listed above, such as Asylum Seekers & Refugees and Gypsy Travellers who are included in the NHSGGC Ant-Racism Plan.