As a patient
Your local NHS/Primary Care Trusts are now required to produce a 'Health Prospectus' which explains which services are available in your area. As a patient of the NHS you should remember that you are entitled to:
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have any proposed treatment and its side-effects explained to you and to accept or refuse treatment
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see your medical records since November 1991, but doctors can refuse you access if they believe that the information in your records would harm you
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expect that the information in your medical records will be kept confidential
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be referred to a specialist acceptable to you
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ask for a second opinion. If you are unhappy about your doctor's view, you can request another opinion. They can then send your case records to another doctor, who can give their professional opinion. It is unlikely that your GP or hospital doctors will refuse such a request, but if they do, you may have to change your GP to get the referral you want. If the opinion of the second doctor is the same as the first, stop and think before shopping around for an opinion you find more palatable. Maybe the problem is that you need to come to terms with a difficult situation
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make a complaint about or change your GP, but it is best to discuss your problems with them first. If you want to change your doctor, you may have to change your health centre. Your hospital PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service), Community Health Council (Local Health Councils in Scotland, Health and Social Service Councils in Northern Ireland) can advise you about this and how to make complaints.
The Government has made a commitment that the confidentiality of patients will be respected within the NHS, and that they should have open access to information about services, treatment and performance.
You can obtain more information on your rights as a patient from the following organisations:
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Your local PALS or ICAS service in England; Local Health Council in Scotland; Health and Social Services Council in Northern Ireland; and Community Health Council in Wales
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NHS freephone information services: (for England) NHS Direct on 0845 4647; (for Scotland) NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24; (for Wales) NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647 or visit NHS Direct
Receiving social services
If you are living at home, you have the following rights concerning services provided by your local social services department:
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to ask for the social services department to make an assessment of the support you need
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carers in England are also entitled to an assessment of their needs
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to receive services such as home helps and meals on wheels if the social services department thinks you need them
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to complain if you are dissatisfied with a service or unhappy with the way you have been treated. All social services departments have complaints procedures, but it is often best to get help from a voluntary body, or the Citizens Advice Bureau.
As an employee
Working people who are diagnosed as having cancer have rights to protect them in their work. Most employers will hold open your job if you are having treatment for cancer, but it may depend on your particular contract of employment. You are entitled to:
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not tell your employers that you are having tests for cancer
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expect your employer to make reasonable adjustment to help you if you wish to continue work
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if you are dismissed because of your health, challenge your dismissal as unfair, even if you only work part-time.
If you are at all concerned about how your health might affect your work, you should take advice. You can obtain more information on your employment rights from: