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.
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Equality & Human Rights Team – Further Information
The members of the Equality & Human Rights Team are:
- Beatrix Von Wissmen – Strategic Lead for Equality & Human Rights Team
- Alastair Low – Interim Equality & Human Rights Team Manager
- Noreen Shields – Planning and Development Manager
- Julian Heng – Planning and Development Manager
- Louise Carroll – Programme Development Manager
- Susan Thompson – Communications Manager
- Nuzhat Mirza – Engagement Development Specialist
- Mhairi Mcculloch – Equality & Human Rights Practitioner
- Martin Patterson – Equality & Human Rights Practitioner
- Jacqueline Fairweather – Equality & Human Rights Practitioner
- Paul Hull – Health Improvement Specialist – Deaf Community
- Jacky Russell – Equality & Human Rights Admin Support
- Helen Macgillvray – Equality & Human Rights Admin Support
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
West House
Gartnavel Royal Hospital
1055 Great Western Road
Glasgow, G12 0ZH
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.
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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
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Campaigns
Stand Against Racism Campaign
We Stand Against Hate – how to report a hate crime
NHS Scotland Pride Badge – Make the pledge and wear the badge with pride
Pledge to Be Seen Campaign
Publications & Resources
Just published – ‘A Fairer NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’ 2025-29 (PDF) For further information, visit our web page.
Tip Cards – produced in response to staff requests, these offer tips on communicating and supporting our diverse communities. For hard copies contact us.
Direct Patient Access to Telephone Interpreting – This new resource explains in multiple languages how to access the telephone interpreting service to contact any NHSGGC service. For example, patients can use the service to call from home and make an appointment with their GP, discuss medications with their Pharmacy or book a Maternity appointment.
Training
News
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Protected Characteristics
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.
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The Scottish Government has produced its second British Sign Language National Plan 2024-30, as required by the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015. It sets out actions for the next four years to help realise Scotland’s ambition to be the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work and visit. Other public bodies, including NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC), have now published their own, local BSL plans for this period.
In putting together our local plan, we consulted with our Deaf BSL patients to gather opinions and ideas. This included patient group involvement, BSL local events, Facebook feedback and an event for Deafblind people.
NHSGGC is already involved a range of activities to help raise awareness amongst patients and staff about BSL as a language and culture and to make sure our patients have access to BSL interpreting whenever they need it.
BSL Interpreting Service
It is the responsibility of NHSGGC staff to book an interpreter for patients attending any of our healthcare services.
BSL Online Interpreting
Deaf Awareness sessions
We can offer a short deaf awareness session that can be delivered online or face to face. The session lasts 30 minutes and is open to all staff.
The learning session covers how to work with BSL interpreters, deafness as a cultural identity and exploring BSL as a language as its own right. This learning will enable staff to communicate more confidently with our Deaf patients and ultimately provide the best possible care.
For more information please contact Paul Hull Paul.Hull@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Deafness and Mental Health
Deaf people can be at higher risk of mental health problems due to communication barriers and isolation. We also know from talking to Deaf patients that they face barriers to accessing mental health services because of a lack of information in British Sign Language and understanding of Deaf culture in general. NHSGGC wants to improve access to mental health services and ensure that they are the best they can be for the Deaf community. We have recently introduced a glossary of BSL signs for mental health on our BSL You Tube channel.
Introducing Paul Hull, Health Improvement Practitioner for the Deaf Community regarding Mental Health
Peer Support Worker for Deaf people
A Deaf Mental Health Peer Support Worker has been employed to work across 5 Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) in Greater Glasgow & Clyde. They will use their lived experience to support patients from the Deaf community in accessing CMHT’s and also in their own recovery journey.
The Peer Support Worker is part of the multi-disciplinary team in Adult Mental Health Services with in-reach to patients whilst in hospital. It is hoped that this support may help patients avoid admission to hospital or reduce the length of stay.
Mental Health A-Z Guide
BSL – You Tube channel
Translated materials
Translated versions of any NHSGGC resource or information relating to individual clinical care can be obtained by asking a member of staff. General health information in also available from British Sign Language (BSL) | NHS inform
Staff can request information in BSL via the Clear to All web page.
Making a Complaint
Find information on the complaints procedure and how to make a complain in BSL on our web page.
Learn Basic BSL
Our popular beginner’s BSL classes are regularly offered to NHSGGC staff.
The six week course offers an insight into how Deaf people communicate and covers the alphabet, how to introduce yourself, colours, numbers and role playing.
See our Staff Training page for current courses.
BSL Health Champions
The BSL Health Champions are a group of volunteers from the Deaf BSL community who are patients of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Champions advise NHSGGC about the main issues and concerns for BSL patients when using our hospitals and other health services. They also work with us to make information about health accessible for BSL users.
Group meetings are public and any Deaf BSL user who lives in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area is welcome to attend. The group also has a Facebook page which is used to share information and to get feedback from the BSL community.
Research project exploring BSL users’ experience of psychological therapy
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This toolkit is aimed at helping people think and plan ahead, helping to reduce stress in times of crisis.The toolkit contains 2 planning tools as well as the opportunity to attend a live online session which talks about what paperwork we can complete before a crisis arises, what actually happens when someone goes into hospital and how we can all work together to plan for a safe and timely discharge.
Understanding the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016
The Coalition of Carers have worked with a variety of carers, carer organisations and health and social care staff to design leaflets for carers. They let you know about your rights and what to expect when you are
All of these can be downloaded from the Coalition of Carers website.
Care Information Scotland
Care Information Scotland provide information about care services for people living in Scotland.
Carers Scotland
Carers Scotland provide advice, information and support to all carers.
Carers Trust
Carers Trust works to improve support, services and recognition for all unpaid carers.
NHS Inform
NHS Inform is Scotland’s national health information service. You can find information to help make informed decisions.
Right Care, Right Time
These pages explain how and when to access services.
Support and Information Services (NHSGGC)
This service provides support including money advice and carers support. Anyone can use the service and you will find centres in lots of our hospitals.
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