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Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011
The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 was created to strengthen the rights of everyone using NHS services in Scotland and to ensure that healthcare is person‑centred, safe, and effective. It became law after being passed by the Scottish Parliament on 24 February 2011 and receiving Royal Assent on 31 March 2011.
The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 requires all contractors and dispensing applicant contractors to report their customer complaints and whistleblowing information on a quarterly basis.
Community Pharmacy Contractors are contractually obliged to supply this information to the Board, even if there are no complaints raised in the quarter. Those who do not supply this information are in a breach of their Terms of Service.
Accurate and timely data from primary care contractors is essential to support collation and publication of national complaints statistics.
On a quarterly basis, Community Pharmacy Contractors will be asked to submit their NHS complaints information to the Board.
Q1 2025 – 2026 (Apr-Jun)
| Quarterly Dates: | Survey sent out | Survey closes |
| Q1 2025-2026 (Apr-Jun) | Start of July | End of July |
| Q2 2025-2026 (Jul-Sep) | Start of October | End of October |
| Q3 2025-2026 (Oct-Dec) | Start of January | End of January |
| Q4 2025-2026 (Jan-Mar) | Start of April | End of April |
| Annual Survey 2025-26 | Start of April | End of April |
Current Position (2025–2026)
For the 2025–2026 reporting year, contractors will be asked to submit complaints data using the Microsoft Form referenced in the contractor complaints return letter sent out in April. This will support consistent data collection across all contractor groups and ensure compliance with national reporting requirements. Data submitted via the MS Form will be used to inform the NHS Board’s annual complaints report.
Future Position (from 2026–2027)
From the 2026–2027 reporting year onwards, it is proposed that complaints data will be requested from primary care contractors on a quarterly basis, using the same MS Form (or an updated version where required). This will:
- Improve timeliness and accuracy of data
- Reduce year‑end reporting pressure
- Support early identification of themes, trends and learning
The review aims to simplify and standardise complaints data collection from primary care contractors, ensuring compliance with national Directions while supporting meaningful learning and improvement.
Useful Resources:
Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011
Charter of patient rights and responsibilities – revised: June 2022 – gov.scot