Chamber and committees

The revised NHS complaints procedure implemented from April 2017 provides a formal route for patients and their families to express concerns about any aspect of NHS services.

The new procedure reflects the broader ambition for the NHS in Scotland to be an open, learning organisation that listens and acts to feedback and when unintended harm is caused. It also supports our NHS staff to engage with people at an early stage, to understand what is important to them about their complaint and what outcomes they wish to see.

The Patient Rights (Feedback, Comments, Concerns and Complaints) (Scotland) Directions 2017 require boards to produce quarterly reports against a set of standardised performance indicators. These indicators are designed to highlight: changes or improvements to services or procedures because of consideration of complaints (learning); complainants’ experience in relation to the complaints service provided; and the levels of staff awareness and training in relation to complaints handling, adverse events and duty of candour.

The 2017 Directions set out the requirement for NHS Senior management to review the information gathered in these reports quarterly, with complaints information analysed for trend information to ensure service failures are identified and appropriate action taken.

Boards are also required by the Directions to produce and publish annual reports in relation to complaints, feedback, comments and concerns, and submit a copy to a number of organisations, including Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman.

Following the BBC Disclosure programme ‘Harmed by my surgeon’, which was broadcast on 3 September and which focused on Professor Eljamel, former neurosurgeon at NHS Tayside, I have written to all NHS Boards in Scotland seeking assurance that processes are in place for Boards to detect and to respond to clusters of complaints about the same staff member and to clarify what arrangements are in place for ensuring timely decision making when the safety of practice of a Consultant is raising concern.

We recognise that some patients need help and support with making complaints and the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) provides this. PASS operates independently of the NHS and provides free, confidential information, advice and support to anyone who uses the NHS in Scotland. In 2017-18, the PASS service supported over 3000 clients.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18363 on 6 September 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18363 on 6 September 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Scottish Government provides the most competitive rates relief package in the UK, worth around £720 million, up from £660 million in 2017-18. This includes a number of measures that are unique in the UK, including the Business Growth Accelerator which encourages new business investment by temporarily suspending rates liabilities, the Day Nurseries relief which reduces the overheads to nursery providers that play such an important role in ensuring our children have the best start in life, as well as support for the renewables sector through Hydro relief.

While we recognise the importance of the independent schools sector to the Scottish education system, the independent Barclay review highlighted that the current situation whereby independent schools benefit from reduced or zero rates bills through charitable relief, while Council run schools pay rates, was unfair and should be removed. Scottish Government accepted this recommendation and included proposals in the consultation which opened on 25 June aimed at removing eligibility for charity relief from all independent schools whilst ensuring due consideration is given to special schools and those with exceptional circumstances.

Scottish Ministers introduced new powers in the Community Empowerment Act 2015 providing local authorities with wide ranging flexibility to offer bespoke local business rate relief schemes. Councils are democratically elected independent bodies, that are accountable to their local electorate and it is for councils to determine how they prioritise their resources.

The independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates suggested a number of recommendations aimed at supporting economic growth and increasing the fairness of the business rates system. One of these recommendation was a proposal to allow, in no more than three towns, councils to introduce pilot schemes in which businesses based predominantly online or out-of-town might be charged a modest business rates supplement. The intention is that the proceeds be used to support businesses in town centres rather than to fund general services.

The Scottish Government is committed to taking forward the Barclay Review as a priority and as part of the consultation launched in June, we are consulting on a range of appropriate safeguards for these pilots. We will reflect on the consultation responses before any final decisions on the legislation are made.

The Scottish Government has taken the decision to support the economy by prioritising small businesses and introducing unique measures like the Growth Accelerator, which benefit all businesses, large and small.

The large business supplement helps ensure a fairer system where smaller businesses pay less tax while larger businesses pay slightly more . The level of the large business supplement will be considered at each future budget along with many other competing priorities, in light of affordability.

The Scottish Government provides the most competitive rates relief package in the UK. Worth around £720 million, the package includes significantly more generous support for small business across Scotland as well as a number of measures which are unique in the UK.

These measures include the Small Business Bonus Scheme which lifts over 100,000 properties out of rates altogether, the Business Growth Accelerator which encourages new business investment by temporarily suspending rates liabilities increase for new build or improved properties, the Day Nurseries relief which reduces the overheads to nursery providers that play such an important role in ensuring our children have the best start in life, as well as support for the renewables sector through Hydro relief.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18363 on 6 September 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The consultation on non-domestic rates reform opened on 25 June 2018 and closes on 17 September 2018. This consultation paper seeks the views of stakeholders on the implementation of the accepted recommendations of the Barclay Review, including a proposals to introduce a limited pilot scheme to allow councils to charge a modest business rates supplement for businesses based predominantly online or out-of-town and what safeguards might be included.

Final decisions on the legislation will only be made once the responses to the consultation and the final report of the Barclay Implementation Advisory Group have been fully considered. The Scottish Government therefore continues to encourage all stakeholders to engage fully with the consultation process.

The Scottish Government will publish all consultation responses, where permission is given to do so, and a consultation analysis ahead of Bill introduction in line with existing good practice.