'Scottish patients afraid to criticise NHS care'

Published on Monday 2 November 2009 21:02

SCOTTISH patients are afraid to criticise the care they receive from the NHS for fear of repercussions, campaigners said.

People wanting to complain about their treatment often worry about the effect it will have on their future care, or do not know how to raise their concerns, the Scottish Patients' Association said.

But SPA chairwoman Margaret Watt said patients were now starting to believe "enough is enough" and are coming forward to voice their fears in larger numbers.

This week the charity is hosting its conference with a difference in Edinburgh to highlight the concerns of Scots patients.

The Patient NHS Alert Conference, taking place at the Balmoral Hotel, is turning the tables on the NHS, with an audience made up of health staff and officials listening to presentations by patients and their families.

Ms Watt said guests included representatives from the British Medical Association, General Medical Council, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) and NHS staff. The meeting will also be addressed by the Scottish health secretary.

Figures show for the last three years the number of complaints received by the NHS in Scotland has remained at around 11,000.

But many of the most concerning cases end up at the SPSO for investigation, where numbers have been rising. In 2008-9 the ombudsman received 684 complaints about health services, compared to 599 in 2007-8 and 632 in 2006-7.