Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Welcome back. We continue our scrutiny of the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill, with witnesses from organisations relating to patient safety. I welcome to the committee Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman; Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; Dr Arun Chopra, medical director at the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland; Dr Anna Lamont, medical director for procurement commissioning and facilities at NHS National Services Scotland; and Simon Watson, medical director at Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

A few of you were in the public gallery when representatives from patients groups were giving their thoughts on the patient safety commissioner. Can you give us your thoughts on the criticisms that they made about the existing systems and structures for patients to have their complaints dealt with and their views heard? There was some upsetting testimony from those representatives about occasions when they felt that they were not listened to and that the systems were not in place to give them support. It seems that they would be relying on a patient safety commissioner to fill that gap.

I would like to hear your reflections on the points that were made about patients not being listened to and the systems not being in place to enable their voices to be heard. I would appreciate hearing views from you all, starting with Rosemary Agnew.

10:45

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

If there had been a patient safety commissioner, would that sort of thing have been put in place a lot earlier, which could have prevented some of those cases?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

But I imagine that what you are talking about was put in place as a result of campaigning.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Thank you. I will come to Bill Wright next.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

I am not sure whether you want to direct that to anyone in particular. Obviously, there are some individuals for whom the issue was not medical or related to drugs or devices. Perhaps we could go to Bill Wright, Fraser Morton and Irene Oldfather initially, because any widening of the remit would include their situations, I guess.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Fraser Morton, do you want to come in?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Baroness Cumberlege agreed with that position last week.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Yes, just make those views known now. I will come to Paul Sweeney after that.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Does anyone else want to come in?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 February 2023

Gillian Martin

Thank you. We now move to the commissioner’s appointment process. I have three colleagues down for this theme.

Chamber and committees