New bill promises greater rights for patients in Scotland

A bill to oblige GPs by law to treat patients within 12 week has been passed by the Scottish Parliament. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, unanimously backed by MSPs, is meant to speed up the process of patient treatment.

The bill, that will also introduce a charter of patient’s right and responsibilities within six months of the legislation coming into force, was described as an “important milestone” in the history of the NHS by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

However, the bill is controversial and has sparked much criticism. The British Medical Association (BMA) said that a limited treatment time will have “serious consequences for patients and the health care system” and was more about “political rhetoric that patient rights”.

The BMA raised concerns that a treatment time will force doctors to be hasty with treatment choices and decision, and could put the patient under a lot of stress: 

"For every patient, there will be different and often unique needs and doctors are concerned that this new target, enshrined in law, will create an inflexible system that forces doctors to rush patients into treatment without consideration of the particular needs of the patient.

“In order to achieve the new 12-week treatment time targets, the bill will require that patients be sent to hospitals often miles away, instead of waiting to be seen closer to home at a local hospital or peripheral clinic.”

Friends and family may no longer be able to support the patients due to the possible distance.
To hurry up the process of treatment in general is, however, seen by some as beneficial to the patient.

"I think the bill is great. Time is of essence every time when treating an illness and it might speed up the diagnosis of possibly terminal illnesses such as cancer as well”, says Katri Vanhatalo, a student from Edinburgh.

Ms Sturgeon said: “We have a bill that will make a difference to patients in Scotland.

"The measures contained in it will reassure everyone that if they have concerns about care or services, they are exercising their legal rights in raising a complaint."