New Waiting Time Guarantee for Scottish Patients

Strathaven based MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed an announcement by the Scottish Government of a new waiting time guarantee, which means that patients should wait no more than 12 weeks for surgery after being referred to hospital, thanks to the Scottish Government’s forthcoming Patient Rights Bill.

They have launched a consultation document which aims to create a legal framework of rights for patients, to support them in knowing what their rights are, and to provide effective redress where they consider that their rights are not being fully delivered.

Commenting on the consultation Ms Fabiani said:

“This is very good news for patients here in East Kilbride and Scotland as a whole. Waiting for a surgical procedure is an enduring process for anyone and that is why this government is determined to not only reduce the time that patients wait for surgery but also to give them a guarantee of the maximum time they should expect to wait.

“The SNP Government wants to support the health interests of people here and the staff that serve them. In the short while we have been in government we have already stopped the closure of A&E units in Lanarkshire and elsewhere, removed hospital parking charges, committed ourselves to end single occupancy ambulances and are now driving waiting times down – the interests of health users are central in all of these measures.

“If any member of the public wishes to contribute to the governments plans for the NHS they can make a submission during this consultation period which runs from 22 September 2008 until 16 January 2009. The consultation document on the Patients Rights Bill can be accessed at: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/current.”